Question for the Santa households

[docholly]

My ten year old and eight year old both know.

They started being suspicious last year.

They don’t say anything about not believing and play along for their little sister.

Santa is low key in my house. The only things we really do are set out cookies and carrots, sign some presents “from Santa”, and wait until Christmas Eve to put presents under the tree.

I will always wait until Christmas Eve to set out presents. .

I was the same way when I learned Santa wasn’t real… I just never mentioned it to my parents. My dad always signed some presents “from Santa.” I wish he was still here to write that.

[sillygoosegirl]

My kid is 7. She seems to actually believe more this year than previous years. She tells me *all the time* about Fouci's trip to the North Pole to vaccinate Santa. I don't think she heard that from us, but I think she takes it as pretty strong evidence of Santa's realness, since Fouci is such a trusted public figure. Not bad logic, really...

Or maybe she's figured out she wants Santa to keep coming to our house, so she doesn't let on about her skepticism anymore.

[lessel]

DS1 is 6.5 and believes with a side dose of skepticism.

[niq]

V is 8 (3rd grade) and I think he's figured it out at this point. I think that last year he spent December thinking Santa was fake, and then when the toys arrived he was like "Santa is REAL! OMFG!".

The kids now wake up stupid early (5am if we're lucky), I don't know what we'll do this year.

[Gato]

Kid1 is 13 and knows the deal, but believed in Santa all the way through elementary school (5th grade).

Kid2 is 9, and seemed to be wise to us by age 6, but this year she seems to be choosing to believe because she talks about Santa a lot.

[redheadk]

Dd is 9 and starting to question in her head, I think, but hasn’t explicitly said anything yet. She found her elf and asked several times about it but in that way that I knew she didn’t really want the answer so I just asked what she thought about it. She made up some elaborate nonsense. But I think this will be the last year she even semi-believes.

[expectantsteelerfan]

Ds is 12 and knew last year, and dd, who is now 10, was skeptical but played along.

This is only somewhat related, but I officially gave up on the tooth fairy this year and handed my son a five when he lost his last tooth (not in front of dd), and told dd she'd only get money if she left her tooth in the little case she has for it downstairs on the kitchen table, and she laughed and did so.

If dd asks about Santa, I still won't give her a direct answer, but I'm not going to go to any great lengths to convince her.

BUT I just realized that I still did the elf on the shelf last year, and neither of them really questioned it...MAN I'd like to be done with that thing this year! But how do you stop???

[starburst604]

My 6.5 yr old is ALL IN on the magic and I love it. We even got the Elf last year, which I swore I’d never do. But I have such magical memories of that time and I want her to have it to, I love reliving it through her.

I’m so worried our next door neighbor is going to tell her before it’s time. She’s almost 9 and way ahead of her years. I know for sure she knows about the Easter Bunny so i kind of assume she’s figured out Santa. She’s mean to DD a lot of the time and calls her out for being a “baby” for thinking or doing certain things (like making fun of her loving to wear her police officer costume a lot) I have a plan ready though lol, I’ll tell her that C’s mom had to tell her that because she’s been on the naughty list and didn’t want her to feel bad. She listens to C yell at and demean her mother every morning at the bus stop so it’s believable!

[court26]

Nov 18, 2021 20:48:13 GMT -5 expectantsteelerfan said:

Ds is 12 and knew last year, and dd, who is now 10, was skeptical but played along.

This is only somewhat related, but I officially gave up on the tooth fairy this year and handed my son a five when he lost his last tooth (not in front of dd), and told dd she'd only get money if she left her tooth in the little case she has for it downstairs on the kitchen table, and she laughed and did so.

If dd asks about Santa, I still won't give her a direct answer, but I'm not going to go to any great lengths to convince her.

BUT I just realized that I still did the elf on the shelf last year, and neither of them really questioned it...MAN I'd like to be done with that thing this year! But how do you stop???

MAKE. IT. STOP. Haha. My DD literally asked if the elves would be at my house again or at her dad’s and I stared at her for a solid
60 seconds willing her to react in some sort of way and she did not. Last year I figured- awesome. She will only be here 50% of the time so easier but she would text me every morning she woke up at her dad’s to see where they were.

[CloudBee]

DS is 8.5 and was such a strong believer last year. This year he's so much wiser, but still actively talks about Santa.

I think he's going to be one of those kids that doesn't want to spoil the magic. I wouldn't be surprised if we KOKO with labeling gifts from Santa, and he just never openly questions. My DH is all in, too, which surprised me when we had kids.

So I think there's a 50/50 chance his gut knows the truth, but he's certainly along for the ride and fully enjoying the magic we create. <3

[AdaraMarie]

I tried not to tell my 8 year old and ask diverting questions and all of that, but she asked me directly every day for about 10 days in September if I was the one who filled the stockings for Christmas. I didn't want to lie to her and I was tired of/ram out of was to not answer, so that's why she knows now.
She is such a sweet kid though - the main thing she was sad about was when she realized that if there was no Santa then mom doesn't get any surprises 🥰

My 11 year old talks about Santa as if she believes but I hope she is faking because I don't want her to be talking about santa in middle school and have other kids make fun of her.

[erbear]

My almost 13 year old asked me a couple of years ago and I didn’t lie. She appears to have forgotten that conversation, or she’s still playing along. 10 year old still believes hard

[hbomdiggity]

Nov 18, 2021 13:44:03 GMT -5 joy said:

My kid is five and ALL IN ON SANTA.

I feel like this is second year of Santa fun for her. She really didn’t get it at three.

5 is the best year IMO. Old enough to get it, but young enough to not really question. ENJOY!!

DS is 6/1st grade. He was all in last year but I think some know it all shits in his class are already taking about it this year.

[aspentosh]

DD is 9 (almost 10) and still firmly believes.

We are going to FL for Christmas with family and she pushed back HARD because she was worried Santa wouldn't know where she was. I fully expect this year to be the last year, which makes me a little sad.

[yellow23]

My 11 and 9 year olds know the truth, I think my 11 year old was a bit unsure until last year. My 9 year old has never really believed. She was questioning every detail at 4 and saying it was impossible. I didn’t give in and admit it until she was 7. I’m pretty sure she then told her older brother, but he didn’t believe her for a while. My 6 year old still believes, but she questions it as much as her sister did so I’m not sure it will last much longer. She always asks for toys she wants, but they are ideas she came up with herself and nobody actually makes them. Then she questions why Santa can’t just make them. I think this will be a big part of her not believing anymore.

I actually enjoy it more when they know the truth because I don’t have to worry about them asking Santa for a gift that’s impossible to find or way too expensive. My son tested it the year he wasn’t sure by asking for multiple gaming systems and a laptop. Before that Santa had always brought the top 3 items on their list.
.

[jamaicam]

Mine are 9 and 7.

The 9 yo knows about the toothfairy - I am aware of this as he came to remind me to put money under his little brother's pillow last week! I am sure he is aware Santa isnt real but he still plays along.

The 7 yo still believes. There are 3x 7 yo in our close friends group and all the parents are working together to keep them believing!!

[Velar Fricative]

I think my 8yo still believes but I'm starting to sense some skepticism. Personally I would love it if she stopped believing told me so, I find it annoying even if I love Christmas in general. My 4.5yo doesn't seem to care for Santa one way or another so if DD1 wants to spill the beans to her I won't care either lol.

[tiki]

Nov 18, 2021 14:00:20 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

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.

Similar situation for us. DD (4) is already giving me the side-eye on Santa, and I feel like she's going to be fully past it in the near future. Maybe time for an infusion of magic by going to see Santa's village or similar?

[Blue Moon]

My 7 year old no longer believes.  She hounded me about the tooth fairy in the summer, so I told her the truth about that.  She eventually asked about Santa.  I tried to deflect but she asked direct questions and I wasn't comfortable lying so we told the truth.  

My 4 year old son is all in on Santa.  My 7 year old is interested in helping me do things like move the ELF, shop for his presents, but I'm trying to keep that a surprise for her too.  I don't know. 

[scm1011]

Nov 19, 2021 11:54:57 GMT -5 tiki said:

Nov 18, 2021 14:00:20 GMT -5 scm1011 said:

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.

Similar situation for us. DD (4) is already giving me the side-eye on Santa, and I feel like she's going to be fully past it in the near future. Maybe time for an infusion of magic by going to see Santa's village or similar?

Yes! I was thinking of either doing that or the Enchanted Village at Jordan's in Avon.

[hermione]

My 8yo still believes and has very well thought out theories about mall Santas.

[simpsongal]

Nov 18, 2021 13:49:20 GMT -5 VillainV said:

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.

This, and my DD is 5.  I feel like this year is the Superbowl of Santa Christmas, 5 and 7....

But yeah, I'm not sure the 7 yr old will believe next year.  I just hope he doesn't ask and he still enjoys the magic vibe.

I'm going to wrap a duplicate gift from me and DH and from Santa to DS....one last clever trick

[pugz]

I think my 9 year old still believes. Although recently she said she doesn't think the tooth fairy is real. And we forgot to introduce the Easter Bunny so she's never believed in that, lol. We'll see. She has to keep the secret for her 5 year old sister for a few more years.

Also curious how the 9 year old will receive the elf. She was the one that insisted we get one two years ago because they had one in their 1st grade classroom. But he didn't want a naughty elf.

[ellipses84]

After last Christmas I swore I was going to have a special day out with my now 10 year old and break the news to him, but have him be a part of creating the magic for his brother…and I planned to do this in like June so there’d be plenty of time to get over it…but I could never bring myself to do it…and we are going to see our super magical Santa for photos tomorrow.

He’s generally a skeptic but with virtual school I felt like he didn’t have the talks with peers that might normally happened and I always say if you believe you get presents, so he has never questioned it. I’m hoping some shitty kid won’t ruin it for him right before Christmas. Our elf is going to arrive early tomorrow and tell them we are going to see Santa, Santa knows this and is going to mention their elf to them. Why do I make it so believable? 😫

[pinkyp]

Oh this thread is making me feel better; I was afraid that DD who is 7.5 and still believes was very much in the minority and it seems like that's probably not the case.

I remember being her age in the early 80s and having Santa ruined for me at school. It seemed like kids, jerks that they were, were quick to make fun of others who still believed after age 6 or 7:(

[achi]

DS1 is 6 and firmly believes in Santa. I do worry now that he’s in grade 1 and out on the regular play yard that some of the older kids will ruin it. I’d love at least a few more years for him.

DS2 is 8.5 months so with their large age difference I am really hopeful that once DS1 finds out he’ll take an active role in being in on it for DS2. Ultimately, if we could get 1-2 years where both boys believe I’d be really happy with that.

[fancynewbeesly]

My daughter is 10 and still believes. We celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas so I think it makes it slightly easier. Like the things that she knows she won’t get from us get pushed to Christmas.

I am surprised how many toys and things are still on her list. Every year I am like this will be the last for toys. And then the following year it is all toys. 🤣

[brooke77]

DS is 4 and keeps telling me that I’m Santa every time I talk about Santa or ask him what he wants Santa to bring him for Christmas. I’m not sure where I went wrong? Maybe his preschool friends told him?

Anyway, I plan to hype up the Santa thing and give presents and stockings from Santa.

[formerlyak]

abs Superfudge is how my oldest figured it out. He was 7. My youngest is now 7, and he figured it out a few months ago when he questioned the Tooth Fairy. So there’s something about 7 year olds in my house.

Next year, since Santa is no longer a thing in our house, I want to wake up Christmas morning and go in a cool trip. That will be everyone’s present. My parents did that the year my brother figured it out. We went to Hawaii. It was awesome!