When did you stop believing in Santa, how old were you, and why did you stop?

#1

I was about 12. 'thought' I heard Santa down stairs and I was my wonderful single father putting together my first mountain bike that was not a girls bike. I was so happy I snuck back upstairs.
I miss you Dad. 2-15-1953 to 2-13-2006

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glowworm2
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This one's adorable. Dad was working so hard to put that bike together for her.

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    #2

    I never stopped believing in Santa!

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    #3

    At a very, very young age. If Santa brought your presents why were there always massive arguments over the bills in January?

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    #4

    When I was eight. I rode the bus to school, and there was one of the older kids that would tell the little kids Santa wasn't real. :(

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    #5

    I was very young, about 5 or 6 y/o I guess, and I felt it suspicious that my very protective parents didn't mind a stranger breaking into our house at night. It was the 90s, a very turbulent period in Russia. When I presented my arguments, they easily admitted what I had already known.

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    #6

    I never believed in Santa because my family never had that tradition.

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    #7

    I was 7 and my brother was 6. My brother got this toy truck for Christmas. A few months later we were at the toy aisle in a supermarket with our grandma and spotted that same truck. We realized it was weird, because how come it's in the supermarket if Santa made it in his workshop. When we got home, we asked our mom: "Mom, do you remember how much that truck cost?". She had probably forgotten that she got that truck for Christmas, so she just told us. So we got a confirmation that our parents bought our presents

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    #8

    I was basically a 35 year old in a child's body, I never believed in Santa.

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    #9

    I was a very jaded, angry 4 year old. My mom begged me not to tell my brothers.

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    #10

    I wondered why all the teachers made a big deal about how Santas comes to everyone's house, and even if you've been bad he will come to your house to give you coal. And he stopped by every single kids house. No discrimination. He respected every one. Yet he never came to mine.

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    #11

    I was 5. My childhood town is not Santa's delivery district, we have Saint Nikolaus (puts sweets in your shoes in the night from 6th to 7th December) and the Christkind (christ child) for 24th Dec presents. Started to look fishy and disappointing when the Christkind brought a nice brand-new Radio-Tape-CD-Player for my big sister, but some ugly itchy underwear for me "because I needed some". Next year I found that Saint Nikolaus did not mind to fill my (well cleaned, by myself!) shoes properly, but put an orange in one shoe (I really hated oranges) and a lump of newspaper in the other shoe (that one page with the crossword puzzle, solved by me and my mom the day before), then just sprinkled with some small unenjoyable chocolates. Therefore I refused to open a single package for the rest of the year. My mom screamed something like "your grandparents are soooo disappointed now because you dont open the presents the Christkind brought to you from its fairyland cloud", don't lie to me, you DO LOVE your soft presents" and s**t. Yeah sure, my granny, because f*Ūking christkind would lend my granny's wrapping paper, right? And I'm the one telling lies? BTW, It was cold scratchy socks, again. Not a soft present, it was socks in a box. Yeah. I was made the grinch, over 30 years ago.

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    Billy The Kid
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    sorry to hear that. Something that might cheer you up. I once i got a pair of socks. I think they were golf socks because there was A HOLE IN ONE!!!

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    #12

    I was five and I heard a bang on the roof. I thought it was Santa's deer but it was somebody breaking into our house.

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    #13

    Never, Santa is real!

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    #14

    Earlier this year, and here's why:

    Why don't poor/homeless people get christmas gifts?

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    Helen Haley
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This has always been my beef with the santa myth. There are kids who won't receive presents, go to school, everyone exchanges stories about what they received from santa. Here you've got a poor kid who thinks they didn't get presents because they must've been naughty, you've got some rich kid who thinks they earned all their presents, and so now they've equated rich with being good and you must be poor because you aren't good. That's a hell of an undercurrent to be teaching kids. Especially at ages where they internalize it all for life.

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    #15

    I can't really remember the age, but my stepdad told me he doesn't exist.

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    #16

    I think i was quite young. I always tell my grandkids that Santa is real. What i do is tell them that it is your family that pays for your gifts. Why should a man in a red suit take all the credit for 1 nights work? Its the parents that work hard all year to pay for that so why should he get the credit for it? What we do is get 1 present that is from Santa and that is on the end of their bed when they wake up.
    Sorry to be a humbug.

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    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    lowkey starting to think that billy might be santa in disgiuse lmaooo

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    #17

    one week ago (im 11) my parents are such good liars tho but this time i explained to them why i think that last christmas (I cant get to sleep on holidays) I was up after 11 and i heard my parents door open and i saw them carrying a whole ton of presents and they had the hallway light on so i could see what they looked like and i matched them up to what was from "santa" and realized they were from them

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    Billy The Kid
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well Santa is a very busy person. Maybe he had them sent by Deliveroo?

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    #18

    I think I never fully believed in santa. Looking back it was always clear to me that my parents ot the presents for me and and my lil brother. My parants had that trick that my dad would sit us in the car and drive around for a while. Meanwhile my mom diplayed all presents. When we arrived, she always said something like: Oh you guys missed Santa." Was really suspicious to me that my mom never joined these car rides (important to say: in germany you recive you presents on the afternoon of the 24 Dec.)

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    Billy The Kid
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It must of been disappointing keep missing him but good to see all the presents.

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    #19

    I never believed that he existed. I still cannot believe that there a lot of people still think he is real and make a big deal out of it. Would you mind explaining why you think so, I am really curious

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    Maya Jones
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's what makes kids happy. Christmas will be little kids spark of joy for 2020. Don't ruin it for them. Just because you don't believe, doesn't mean they can't.

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    #20

    at my school we were pretty damn sheltered, so going into 6th grade we still thought that santa was real. like THE ENTIRE SCHOOL. I'M SERIOUS. So, in early 6th grade in our humanities teacher was talking about symbolism, and he started talking about fictional representations and mentioned Santa. His exact words were "even though he doesn't exist, he's still a representation of kindness and giving." The entire class either looked at him with tears in their eyes, or yelled "WHAT?!" and you could see the absolute look of "oh s**t what did I do." he tried to walk it back and try to say that he was real, but the damage had been done. Looking back, It's really funny how it went down, but also that WE ALL BELIEVED IN THAT S**T UNTIL 6TH GRADE, but also I feel bad because that poor teacher got so many angry emails from parents lmao. ok, anyway that's my story haha.

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    Flare
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You don't need to worry about the fact that you were 11 when you found out, I was 14.

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    #21

    When I was about six, the “Easter bunny” left a whole bag of jellybeans, instead of putting them in the eggs. The more I thought about it, the more confused I got and I asked my mom if she was the easter bunny. She said yes, and then I asked her if my parents were Santa and the tooth fairy too, and she said yes. So yeah, that’s how it happened.

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    #22

    When I saw an "Elf on the Shelf" fails post on Bored Panda.

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    #23

    Sadly, my third grade teacher told the whole class, there was no Santa. I was mortified.

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    #24

    I was older. About 12yrs old.
    My grandparents did an amazing job for me. Make foot prints in the snow, my grandpa would climb on the roof to stomp around, ring bells & yell "ho ho ho." Then Santa would enter the house (a Santa my grandparents hired).
    Greatest grandparents ever!!!
    Because of that, I was the last one in my grade to believe.

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    #25

    i was 7, i saw my parents wrapping the presents....

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    #26

    I never stop believing in the Santa that is within all of us to help others and bring gifts of all sorts to those who most need it. There is a Santa, and it's us.

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    #27

    Well, I was 7 or 8, and I had just lost my tooth. I put it under my pillow that night, but I was restless almost the entire time. I probably fell asleep at 2:00 in the morning or something, so when i woke up, my tooth was still there and no money was under my pillow. I asked my mom once she woke up and she said something along the lines of, "Well, you didn't sleep the whole night, so the tooth didn't get a chance to take your tooth. She'll probably come while you're at school."
    So, I was already smelled something fishy about that, but I let it slide. I came home from school and my tooth was STILL THERE. I asked my mom what was up with that because I was excited the whole day at school to get see if the tooth fairy came. She said the tooth fairy would probably come that night, if I would sleep enough. So, of course, I tried my hardest to fall asleep, and I managed to. The next morning, I just went and popped the question: "Mommy, are you the tooth fairy?"
    She was surprised, but finally answered yes, she was. Then other things came to my mind, "Don't tell me you're Santa and the Easter bunny too...?" Yup. We were both dumbfounded.
    Anyway, in conclusion:
    My mom's the one that delivers presents, takes your kids' teeth, and puts candy in Easter eggs on Easter. :>

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    #28

    My mom made up a fairy called the book fairy. After every halloween I would give up some candy to the book fairy for a book. Stupid, I know. My mom would collect the candy and that's it. I then once walked in on her eating all my candy that I gave to the "book fairy". I then asked her if she was the book fairy, and she said yes. I then caught on a realized she was also the tooth fairy, easter bunny, and santa. (sorry kids if you're reading this)

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    #29

    I stopped believing in Saint Nicholas at 8 and started believing in Jeff Bezos at 9. Why? Because every single package has the words amazon on it. Very Weird.

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    Imtiredandiwannagotobed
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ah yes, Jeff Bezos, as we all remember from the tails, travels in a magic truck shouting “Subscribe to Amazon Prime!!”

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    #30

    THis is really sad. I was in kindergarten or 1st grade when my friends were talking about Santa. I had never even heard about him by then so I asked my mom who he was after that day. Long story short She told me she didn’t want to tell me lies s I grew up and he was not real. I wasn’t mad or sad, and I never believed again. Now looking back on it we also came from a poorer family and I think my parents didn’t was to waste money on gift that would be thought of not from them.

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    #31

    I was 7. I got this huge doll house and my mom was on the phone talking to her friend on Christmas morning. She said how it took all night to put the house together (it was up to my nose and made of all wood), and I also heard them in the middle of the night putting it together.

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    Billy The Kid
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It could've still been from Santa but he needed someone to put it together. But there is no convincing you now as you already know.

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    #32

    When I was nine, and realized that my mom's, the tooth fairy, and Santa's handwriting all looked the same...

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    #33

    I believed in Santa up until I was around 12 or 13 I think. Kids made fun of me for it but I didn't really care because they were just mean kids. I found out he wasn't real when I heard footsteps in the living room and saw my parents arranging the presents. I never brought it up with them because they did a great job of keeping the magic alive until I was 12 or 13.

    Unrelated to me finding out he wasn't real but some stories of some Christmas Eve magic my parents made. They would take a broom or something and tap the ceiling so it sounded like reindeer landing the roof, then they'd run into our rooms and whisper excited "Santa's here!" We'd run out and from the landing look at what I assume was my dad dressed as Santa putting presents under the tree. It was the most magical Christmas Eve I can remember. That was the only year we saw Santa but they did do the reindeer trick every year so we would be super excited for Christmas. The only "rule" was that we couldn't come out of our rooms until our parents woke us with a "Santa's here!" Sorry that was long but Merry Christmas to everyone! Have lots of fun!
    -Anarchy

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    Bendy Rainbow
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wish my parents would make Christmas that special! You are lucky to have such amazing parents! :)

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    #34

    Because my mom told me he didn't exist in my freshman year of high school.

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    #35

    My parents were always the, "The real world is harsh so let's tell you straight up" type and never sugar-coated anything, so one day my Dad just up and said, "Santa isn't real. It's the corporations and the /money/. They keep up the image since they need Santa to make them the money.", when I started asking about Santa (cause that's the type of person he is.).

    Like, alrighty then. I didn't want a childhood anyways. Yup sounds good, throw me straight into adulthood.

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    Viviane
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That sounds mean-spirited, projecting their own cynicism onto a child.

    #36

    I didn't stopped believing and i'll never stop believing! Plus= Santa is REAL. Story say that he used to live in Turkey- it's where I live! I'm never gonna stop believing him!

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    #37

    i warped gifts and i new even if santa was real he couldnt with stand the cold nor would his deer or his elves

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    #38

    when i was 5. my mom and dad told me. ITS NOT FAIR THAT MY 3yo SIS HAS KNOWN HER WHOLE LIFE SANTA ISNT REAL!!! but who cares! "Santa" wont be comin' near a germ infested Tx!!!!!🎅🏾🤶🏿😭

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    #39

    Well I actually never believed in Santa bc of my parent's religion and what we do for others o Christmas. They are part of the Salvation Army and they do Angel Tree every year for Christmas.

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    Billy The Kid
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thats very good Samaritan's. I wish you and your family a very BIG merry Christmas.

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    #40

    I was always known as the apathetic child with little to no imagination, so believing in a fat old man that gives elf manufactured presents to every child on the planet on a flying sleigh run by red nosed reindeers as he squeezes through their chimneys and stops to eat people's confections and dairy in a matter of one night wasn't going to last long. Sorry mom and dad 😅

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    Jette Wang Wahnon
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That´s not apathy...that´s the Grinch in a childs body....but merry x-mas to you anyway..

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    #41

    My parents didn't give me a chance. They just put the presents under the tree in front of me. They're not mean or anything by the way. Their wonderful parents that just don't want us believing in a fake thing too much. We still enjoy Christmas movies about Santa and stuff, we just don't believe it.

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    #42

    When I was 3 years old I had gotten gifts from Santa ALL in teddy bear wrapping paper, which I just loved. I told my mom I loved it & she said it was special wrapping paper that Santa used. Cut to the next Christmas when my parents used the same left over wrapping paper to wrap the gifts they were giving me from them, my parents thinking I'd never remember the wrapping paper. I immediately went to my mom & told her I knew Santa wasn't real because she lied to me about the special teddy bear paper. She tried to remedy the situation but from then on I declared Santa was a lie. I WAS 4YRS OLD! lol

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    #43

    Ummm Santa IS real..... I have proof. Have you ever seen the Polar Express? We all know Tom Hanks only does movies based on real events sooooo.....

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    #44

    I was about 8 years old I think. I figured it out when Santa had the same gift wrap and handwriting as my mother.

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    #45

    Never started. I think what my mom told me was it was a pretend game that people played together for Christmas, like 'believing' in unicorns or dragons. I thought that was amazing, and it stopped me from spoiling it for other kids.

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    Luna Wolfblood
    Community Member
    4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Whoa whoa whoa. Dragons are one hundred percent real. Have you seen how to train your dragon? If dragons weren't real I wouldn't have been on the brink of crying the first time I watched it.

    #46

    I stopped around 9, as for me, gaining a better sense of logic, there was no way that Santa could possibly go all the way around the world in one night... that makes for about a half-billion households to go to (for those who celebrate Christmas), in one night, being 43,200 seconds, that makes for approximately 11,574 houses stopped at per second. If there were only 100 million stops, then that number gets reduced to 2,314 per second, which is still completely illogical.

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    #47

    When I was in 3rd grade, I was arguing with my friends because I believed that dragons were real and they didn't. They made the point that dragons couldn't exist because magic wasn't real, and I replied "Well Santa is magic and he's real!" They then told me that Santa actually wasn't real. I thought they had lost their minds or were just messing with me, but it did make me wonder. On the way home, I made sure to ask my mom out of the earshot of any other kids "Is Santa real?" She told me that no, he wasn't real, and I completely understood. It wouldn't be very scientific of me to simply deny the truth, after all.
    Even still, I continued to believe in dragons until way later. I mean, they were just too cool NOT to believe in the existence of.

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    Flare
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    lizards are dragons; they just have not evolved into dragons yet.

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    #48

    I was maybe six. I was with my mom at a restaurant and I just straight up asked her. then I asked her about the tooth fairy. She never really told me santa was real in the first place anyways.

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    #49

    about age 10 or 11, because I asked.


    (Christmas with my family is still heckin' exciting though so I'm not a complete scrooge)

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    #50

    I was told Santa went through the chimney at around 4, my house doesn’t have a chimney.

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    #51

    I was about 11 I think. I just started thinking through it rationally and came to the conclusion that it is much more rational for parents to put the gifts out and eat the cookies.

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    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Also I was rummaging through my parent's stuff [don't ask] and I found my Christmas letter and a bag of teeth in her jewelry.

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    #52

    when i was in preeschool i got sus so i stoppped beleving

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    #53

    For me, it was when Grandma got run over by a reindeer. My profound sorrow lasted 3 minutes and 26 seconds until finally the 1982 song by Elmo & Patsy finally finished.

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    John Lexer Von
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    well me 2 coz i got socks as a present it may not be like it but the profound sorrow ended for 2 whole hours!

    #54

    At least 12. We always lived in isolated areas so I had few friends and no neighbor kids. I believed in the magic because we were poor. Whenever I asked for anything, mom would say we couldn't afford it (candy at the store). But this one year she pulled me aside and said "I know you don't believe any more, but please pretend for your brother (age 5). I was devastated on so many levels.

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    #55

    I never believed in him. My family doesn't celebrate.

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    #56

    When I was little my family was driving around looking at people's Christmas lights and decorations. This was such a big treat, because I got to sit in the front seat like a grown up. As we went through the heart of a large town, I heard my Aunt say, "OH S**T!!" at the top of her lungs. She called my name and said, " HEY did I show you my um...hey! look at what I brought for us! Wow look what I found! UM...." The idea being I'd turn to the back seat and see what she was saying. She was babbling like an idiot and I wondered what was going on, really. I looked all around and coming up on my side was a very loud pub and outside were 6 Santas, getting very drunk, in full costumes. As we passed they all yelled, "HO HO HO Merry Christmas Little Girl!!" and saluted me with their bottles of beer. It was really great :)

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    Jette Wang Wahnon
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As Mae West used to say:« Too much of a good thing........is WONDERFUL!!»

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    #57

    5 years old. mom was wrapping up a miniature bowling set... i came down to get some water. saw her in the kitchen wrapping it. next day say it underneath the tree...

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    #58

    My first Santa Claus was an African thief stealing gifts around the tree. I was three, said nothing and went back to bed. It was in Africa so it was rather common, put the light on after on l left open the terrasse. My parents were in a bit of shock, then it became a habit. Miserable country need their gifts too.

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    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Must say that they were two Santas, one stealing and the other running away with the packages. Had no fear, they stopped when they saw me. As I was mute and still, all went fast. So I can't say that I ever believed in SC lol We left then lights on the terrasse with blankets, food and toys, chocolate..They were always in need of sheats and pillows, but never agressive. I love Ethiopa.

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    #59

    0. I’m Jewish...

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    #60

    I think it's kind of sad that a kid could see this and find out. I found out way too early. Believing is magical. Why steal that???

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    Cara Strong
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That is true. That is also why I pretend to believe in Santa until all my brothers believe he isn't real.

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    #61

    Well, it's actually pretty simple. I stopped believing in 6th grade when I first started to browse the Internet. Then, I became nocturnal for every day off I had. Also a kid when I was 8 tried to convince me Santa wasn't real, and it just took off from there.

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    #62

    Last year. I just knew but deep down inside I still want to believe.

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    #63

    i was 7 YO and I got a letter from "Santa" but EMEDETLY knew it was my dads handwriting *facepalm* :)

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    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Lucky your dad was present in that... My dad was JUST as surprised as I was to see "what he got me" because my poor mom did everything.

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    #64

    Bold of you to assume I don't believe in him. But probably when I was about 7 and my "good" teacher just spilled the beans.

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    #65

    I am 11 years old and when i was 5 i started to notice the rapping paper was the same as the rapping paper on the tube i used and i knew then. But i still try to go with it anyway.

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    Stille20
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ha ha, year, my dad had special wrapping paper that he must have kept hidden for years

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    #66

    okay so I was like 6 very young and my dad always dressed up as Santa and you know told us we were on the nice list and all that but one year I was sitting on his lap and I saw his wedding ring so I knew it was my dad so ripped off the fake beard he looked really sad and said ¨im sorry¨ I felt so bad, I love you dad may you rest in peace

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    Alexandra Light
    Community Member
    4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To your dad: Rest in peace. (I may not know him but I believe he was good person)

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    #67

    NEVER!IM 9

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    Lula!!!!
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's fun! (In the future, you might want to not reveal your age to strangers online, but it's up to you!)

    #68

    I set out on a mission to catch Santa and shout "CAUGHT RED HANDED!!!!!" I did the same thing with the Tooth Fairy. Aaaaaaaand the Easter Bunny.

    I'm a real handful.

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    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh no! I forgot to add "Happy Holidays" at the end. Sorry. Aaaaaanyway, happy holidays!

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    #69

    I remember suspecting something so I snuck a look at what my mom had purchased and then noted it "came from Santa". That's when I learned my mom was Santa. So I learned to be Santa too. It's my first Christmas without her. I hope I live up to her example.

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    #70

    My mother didn’t allow it. That wasn’t what the season was about. My dad was upset we didn’t leave carrots for the reindeer and beer cans for Santa. My mom told me not to tell the other kids. Honestly it made me trust her more.

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    #71

    When I was 5. I would tell my classmates and my mom got in trouble with the teacher. Lol.

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    #72

    It was my Christmas list framed and hanging on the wall in our old house (before I had sisters). I was 4 or 5. I still keep quiet for my younger sisters. :) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

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    #73

    All my gifts always said who they’re from and none said Santa; mom, grandma, etc.

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    #74

    I dont think I ever really belived in santa. Even from a young age, there was just no way one dude could get to every house in the world in like 12 hours, even if he was magical. Also the elf on the shelf had a plastic face and I found it hidden in my mums cupboard when I was like 7.

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    #75

    When I was six or seven I saw a would you rather card for adults and it was something about he’s not real

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    #76

    I was a strange child and never really believed in Santa.

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    #77

    I was 10. My parents sat down and talked to me about it. I already had a suspicion but I didn't want to believe it. My sister's turn soon. 😢

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    #78

    My parents never 'did' Santa, so we never believed in him. Instead we called our grandpa Santa, he is the best and makes big mazes and forts with our presents ( 6-8 kids and at least 6 adult's worth, plus he wraps big boxes with little things in them and one time he wrapped a big wooden frame) That is my very favorite Christmas tradition because when we go up to my grandparents house in the morning and see this massive new present fort it is just the best!!

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    #79

    I was 5. I saw all the gifts and the gift paper in my wardrobe.

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    #80

    I think I was about 9 or so. Every year my grandparents came for dinner and every year my grandmother went to a Vernissage that evening (here in Switzerland Santa comes 6 of December and not on Christmas). She was never there when he came. When I got a little bit older I start to realize that Santa has the same dialect like my grandmother, it's the dialect from bale. (they speak a different dialect than me and my parents). Someday I was so suspicious I grabt the beard and pulled it down.

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    #81

    I didn't know of Santa before grade school.
    I was in 1st grade and my teacher said something like, "Santa will come to your house to give you presents!"
    And I said, "Who's Santa?"
    And then everyone stared at me....

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    Miss Cris
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What happened afterwards? Did you ask for presents? What did the others say or do?

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    #82

    When one christmas I didnt get anything. The next few years were the same

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    #83

    I tied my stocking to my foot and "santa" didn't know that so he woke me up.

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    #84

    I was 8. I was sleeping in bed, and every hour or so I would check the cookies and milk to see if he was here. When I checked about 2 hours later, I leaned out too far and saw my parents wrapping a gift that would most likely appeal to my brother. I quickly ran back to my bed and pondered over if Santa was really my parents or he was himself. I didn’t know what to believe. My parents were exhausted on Christmas morning and (we have this tradition that Santa hides this Swiss Pickle ornament every year and whoever finds it gets good luck)I came out about 6 am and the pickle wasn’t hidden. I decided to hide the pickle for my brother. About a week later, mom said “you better thank mom and dad for all your presents!” I felt like she’d slipped up, and I said “ don’t you mean thank SANTA?” And I felt my suspicion raise, and about a month later I asked mom about it, so she told me that none of tooth fairies, Santa clauses, or Easter bunnies were real. She had planned on telling me when I was 12, because that’s when she found out. I felt betrayed and I wish I didn’t find out till I was 13...gave me a worry that my parents wouldn’t be able to afford Christmas presents and then I realized they could handle themselves just fine.

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    #85

    I never believed in Santa. How could a fat old man fit down your chimney, leave presents, and sneak away undetected? t just sounds stupid to me.

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    #86

    I just remember pretending to still believe because I didn’t want to risk no presents. 10 or 11

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    #87

    My Mom had weaponized the whole tradition of Santa. She would start right after my birthday in August telling me if I wasn't good Santa wouldn't bring me anything for Christmas. Thing is I wasn't a kid that acted out much to begin with but I would hear that at least a couple times a day whether I did anything or night. I finally had enough on a day where she thought I had done something that my cousin actually admitted he did later and she was telling me for what seemed like theb40th time if I didn't admit what I did Santa wouldn't get me anything for Christmas and I told her I knew the truth and that she wasn't a very good Santa anyway. She told me fine I don't have to get you anything for Christmas ever again. I laugh and cried at the same time for at least a half hour cause I knew she couldn't make that threat again but also thought I wasn't getting anything either. She must have felt guilty because I even got some of the hot wheels cars I wanted. She normally got me nothing but girls toys and never the ones I played with or asked for but I actually got a few things I wanted that year!

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    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was 8 or 9 when I reached the point I had to admit it! Think I had known the year before though.

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    #88

    I guess I never really believed in him - much like the tooth fairy or the Easter bunny. I knew presents came from family members. In fact, even when I was eight, I was surprised that other kids, even ones older than me actually believed in him. It didn't make Christmas any less fun or enjoyable, but also meant I didn't have any moment of "disappointment".

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    #89

    I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness so ....no Santa no Easter Bunny etc from as far back I can remember.

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    #90

    I was always a very skeptical child, and I never really believed anything I was told. Santa made no sense to me, and I wondered why my mom would lie to me about something so unbelieveable.

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    #91

    I was (and still am) 13, I asked my dad to be completely honest, and asked him, "Tell me truly, is Santa real?" He just chuckled and said, "Nope."

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    #92

    I was 8-ish, my parents got fed up of sneaking around and told me.

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    #93

    I stopped believing at 7 because I found some gifts (didn’t upset me at all)...and then I started believing again when I got to BECOME Santa for my own kids!

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    #94

    Um, probably when I was 9. In the myth, it says that he and the elves make the presents. Well, the toy I got was a Transformer. My figure was a real Transformer toy.(from Hasbro) That means that it is fake. Plus, if they make it, that would mean fake toys...
    (Cause it is not from the official brand)

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    #95

    Right now I am 14, and my parents really haven't told me straight out. But when I was around 5 I got a card from Santa in my dads handwriting telling me to study harder. What kind of Santa tells children to study....

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    #96

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    #97

    I'm sure I believed when I was really little, but I guess I just didn't find it logical. I always saw the tags and stickers still on the gifts after I unwrapped them lol. Sometimes I would even accidentally slip the fact that I didn't think he existed to my parents, like when I asked about the thing that my mom got me in my stocking, which I should have said was from Santa. Kids at school would always say stuff about why he wasn't real, and I would argue back, even though I subconsciously knew that he wasn't real. I did this because I thought that if my parents knew that I knew, they wouldn't get me as many presents lol. This one girl even said that she believed in him too, but then I heard her telling my other friend that she actually didn't, and I still have no clue why she just flat out lied to me lol. Anyway, when I was in fifth grade me and my mom went shopping and I got to sit in the front seat, where she just sat me and down and told me that Santa wasn't real. I told her that I had suspected it all along, but the harsh reality of it just seemed off to me. It made the whole world seem a bit less magical, even though I had already knew. I still pretended he was real for my brother though.

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    #98

    i stopped believing in Santa when i got my first phone. i looked at the phone and saw it was just my mom's old phone but it was in a different phone case. and later when I was on amazon on my mom's new phone I saw the phone case that was on my phone in the "buy again" section. after that, it was just known that there was no Santa i think they told my brother after I found out so he never got to find out on his own. we still make cookies every year though but we leave it for mom and dad and not Santa. also, I found our elf-on-the-shelf in my moms closet in the middle of summer once so I guess I had already known about Santa not being real so lol

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    #99

    I was looking at the presents to hand them out and I noticed that Santa's handwriting looked surprisingly similar to my mom's handwriting so about a week after Christmas that year I confronted her about it and she said " Yeah sweetie he's not real." ):

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    #100

    I was in 4th grade and my “friend” told me.

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