Post by AdaraMarie on Nov 18, 2021 13:30:53 GMT -5
My 11 year old acts like she believes and I haven't said anything. Not sure she really does. My 8 year old hounded me relentlessly in September until I told her the truth.
Post by ilikedonuts on Nov 18, 2021 13:31:33 GMT -5
E (10 year old) says she still believes. A couple years ago she asked about different Santa’s and I said Santa has helpers. And she thought that made a lot of sense.
I've read this here and it's basically what my mom did even when we became adults. Santa brings presents to those who believe. Meaning we never discuss how the magic happens, it just does and presents with your name on them appear.
E (10 year old) says she still believes. A couple years ago she asked about different Santa’s and I said Santa has helpers. And she thought that made a lot of sense.
I’m sad this is probably the last year.
I said the same thing when DS asked a couple of years ago.
DS is almost 9 and acts like he still believes, although I suspect he doesn't. My feeling is he thinks he'll get presents as long as he "believes" so he doesn't want to take the chance of losing out on that by admitting anything to the contrary... DH and I figured we'll just roll with it.
I am INTO Santa. I love it! I’m following how my parents did things and essentially never admitting, never surrendering.
My 14 year old obviously knows but I’ve never confirmed to him lol. When he was younger and asked questions I would say things like “I don’t know, what do you think?” Or “well I definitely believe in Christmas magic, and I’ll I know for sure is that Christmas and Santa is about showing love and being together” etc etc So we never had the “ok here’s the truth” conversation (and I never will lol!). He rolls his eyes a bit when I talk about Santa but knows to stay quiet
My 9 year old is all in still. It helps a lot that most of their friends don’t celebrate Christmas so they have grown up knowing not everyone celebrates Christmas, not everyone believes in Santa, but in our house we do and he visits.
Post by timorousbeastie on Nov 18, 2021 13:42:14 GMT -5
DD is 7 and knows that H and I are Santa. I’m 99.9% certain she knew the truth last year, but she didn’t admit to it until shortly after her birthday in February when she randomly asked if Santa was real and wouldn’t accept my answer of “what do you think?”
I was actually surprised she figured it out so young, especially since it was during COVID, when she was doing virtual school and wasn’t around kids who could have told her.
My DD just turned 10 and LOVES Christmas. She has been much more suspicious of Santa over the years than my son ever was. I assumed that this year she would know, but we watched a Christmas movie the other night and during it she said "Hey mom, Santa is real, right?"
I honestly think she pretty much knows, but does not want to know because she loves it all so much. So we are going with it this year. I'm 100% sure this is the last year, and not even sure it will last till Dec 25.
ETA: Honestly I'm kind of a grinch and won't mind when it's over. Once they start asking for bigger-ticket items or experiences, it is much easier to be from us instead of Santa. This year, for example, my MIL wants to just chip in for my son's Xbox as his gift from her. But because it's his big gift from us too, we can't really have it be a joint gift from Grandma and Santa. He is 13 and obviously knows the deal, but in order to preserve Santa for DD we have to extend it to his gifts also. We have always done all kid gifts from Santa, so can't really change it up now.
C is 7.5 and still believes, for now, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the last year of it. I think he just really WANTS to believe that Santa is real. We’ll keep it going as long as he’s enthusiastic about it.
My DS just turned 5 and I don't think he believes. His bestie is Jewish and was pretty vocal last year about there not being a Santa. I'm not mad, its not on Jewish kids to perpetuate the Santa myth, but it does make me sad that we pretty much never got to do Santa with him because the year before he was 3 and didn't get it.
DD will be 11 next week. She started questioning Santa at 8 but it was obvious she still really wanted to believe so I didn’t tell her the truth. Last year she asked to read Superfudge and there is a whole chapter detailing how Santa isn’t real. I figured that was it. I even asked her how she liked the book and she was all “oh it was SO good”, lol. This year she is all in on Christmas. She decorated the tree herself, has a list of traditions she wants to make sure are carried out, and she is ready for her elf to come back.
Frankly I think she knows but has zero interest in saying it out loud. I’m ok with that. I’m glad there is still bit of kid in her that wants the Christmas magic. For the record I was the same way. My mom filled my stocking every Christmas and gave me Santa gifts until I got married. I loved it and plan on doing the same.
Regardless Christmas will be so different this year. DD wants very few things. There won’t be much under the tree. No toys. I hate it. I love finding the perfect things for her and looking at a full tree Christmas morning but I’m trying to change my perspective and make sure we go all in on the fun activities instead.
We told my oldest at 10. He had questions that were getting awkward to answer truthfully around his younger brother. We spun it as now he gets to help spread the Santa magic/holiday cheer, for his brother & his community. Torch has passed on, in the club, etc. HOWEVER, people that say out loud to others that Santa isn’t real don’t get Santa presents (our standard response to “But Sally says Santa’s not real!” Well, I betcha Sally doesn’t get a prezzie from him either…). So, we don’t talk about Santa & he helps my H get me decent stocking stuffers.
My 8yo is still a believer but has heavy questions. I’m not sure if he’ll last much longer.
Honestly, I kinda enjoy that a kid doesn’t believe. He gets to help spread the holiday cheer so it’s still pretty magical since he’s still engaged, I don’t have to be all extra careful about what I say/hiding things extra extra good, and I can go to bed early on Xmas Eve when we don’t have to wait for them to be asleep!
Santa went on forever when I was little because my sister is 10 years younger than me so we "believed". DD is 10 and she pretends. Santa gifts tend to be small in our house. Last year Santa brought a shirt box full of scrunchies and she said it was the best Santa gift ever.
DD is 7 and knows that H and I are Santa. I’m 99.9% certain she knew the truth last year, but she didn’t admit to it until shortly after her birthday in February when she randomly asked if Santa was real and wouldn’t accept my answer of “what do you think?”
I was actually surprised she figured it out so young, especially since it was during COVID, when she was doing virtual school and wasn’t around kids who could have told her.
This sounds a lot like DS. At 6 he kept asking and asking me to tell him the truth and he got mad at me for asking what he thought or giving a non committal answer. I've never felt comfortable straight up lying so he knows the truth now. I'm a little bummed it was over so young, but he's still so excited and he still gets Santa gifts and likes to pretend about it sometimes.
Post by turkletsmom on Nov 18, 2021 14:54:14 GMT -5
DS is 8.5 and I think he figured it out but he hasn't asked. I'm bummed. It went by so fast! The twins are only 5 and all in so that makes me feel better. I plan to do Santa forever. My kids can chalk it up to a quirky mom thing.
All 3 of my kids figured it out when they were between 6 and 7 years old. It always blows my mind that other kids believe so much longer. We still do “Santa” in that the majority of their presents are placed under the tree on Christmas Eve, and their stockings are filled then also.
My kids are now 15, 12, and 10. It went something like this:
“Is Santa real?” “Well what do you think?” If they said he was real I left it at that. If they then said they thought the parents were Santa I confirmed and told them not to ruin the magic for any kids who still believe.
When DD1 was in fifth grade, I thought she totally knew about Santa based on several comments she had made. When she asked me about it straight out, I asked what she thought, and I tried to hedge and she kept pushing, I figured she really wanted to know. Huge mistake!!! It was one of my worst parenting moments of all time. I said all the “right” things, but at the wrong time!! She was like super traumatized, crying; it was awful. I seriously think she somewhat repressed it and just decided she was going to still believe in Santa! She told me later that she still believed in Santa. She’s in seventh grade now and she obviously must know by now, but she has never said anything since that horrible conversation.
DS turns 11 in December. He already told us he doesn’t believe in the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny anymore, but he said he still believes in Santa. I think he just wants to believe. I did notice that this year, when I make comments about him having a lot of expensive items on his list, he doesn’t say, “Santa can bring them.” I’m hoping we can get through this year without any kind of conversation or stress around it.
My son is 8 and still kinda believes but has also had it spoiled by kids at school and his babysitter's sons who are both a bit older, so I think he knows but is humoring me for now. This may be the year we admit it and also threaten all his favorite stuff if he spoils it for his little sister
My girls are nine and on the fence. DD1 was very suspicious last year and I'm sure she has figured it out but will probably take it to the grave because she doesn't want to admit it and miss out on presents. Her unearthing the elf in a random box in the off season last year definitely didn't help. She asks a lot of questions where she's obviously trying to trip me up and give me a wink about stuff.
DD2 is the most kind-hearted soul and believes in all things magical forever and always. It's kind of hilarious how cynical her sister is compared to her. I feel like she must know, between her sister and other kids at school, but she just wants to believe in the magic so much that she won't let it go.
My boyfriend's son is only seven, but my boyfriend claims he has known for years already that Santa's not real. But last year he was pretty all in on our first Christmas together with our elf, santa gifts, etc. So I think he's borderline. His mom is not really a warm and fuzzy type, so I don't think he had a lot of "Christmas magic" before moving in with us.
I go to bed first and make my H fill the stockings because my parents give us stuff for them and I love the surprise. I refuse to let go of the Santa magic lol.
Unfortunately my H is crap at anything involving gifts and just leaves stuff in brown boxes or whatever, around the stockings. This thread is reminding me to critique him on that to ensure things look at least tidy on Christmas morning.
Oh, our DD is 5 and still believes and I hope it never ends but I think she's likely to know sooner than I did as a kid. She's pretty suspicious and will happily try to find where we've stashed presents.
My oldest is 9 and she asked me a few months ago and I sort of said "what do you think?" and she said "I think it's you and Dad" and so I said "it sounds like you're ready to start helping us be Santa for your little brothers." She's excited to know and help.
My second child is only 17 months younger - he's turning 8 in January - and has also made questioning comments but hasn't asked me directly. He's more likely to tell his 4-year-old brother if he knows, so I'm trying to hold off.
We still have a 1-year-old....so many more years of Santa. I don't love it though - just the additional logistics of what comes form us vs. Santa. Big gifts have always come from parents rather than Santa so the kids don't wonder why they got better stuff from Santa than some other kid. I'll be fine when they don't believe anymore.
I subtly confirmed that DS, 13, doesn’t believe but loves the gifts and the Christmas morning thing and doesn’t want to ruin anything. I’m quite sure DD, 11, knows, but will never give up pretending. No end in sight on this asshole elf situation. Ugh.