What age did you find out about Santa?

John Doe1 · 25-12-2011 07:48PM

In the womb:cool:

robinph · 25-12-2011 08:19PM

Just spent the day opening a massive pile of presents with a 6 year old and a 4 year old. No presents came from Santa and nobody cared. Why would you claim that stuff you bought the kids was actually from a person who doesn't exist instead of from yourself?

Jimmy Garlic · 25-12-2011 08:21PM

robinph wrote: »

Just spent the day opening a massive pile of presents with a 6 year old and a 4 year old. No presents came from Santa and nobody cared. Why would you claim that stuff you bought the kids was actually from a person who doesn't exist instead of from yourself?

Exactly. Spot on.

Chinafoot · 25-12-2011 08:33PM

robinph wrote: »

Just spent the day opening a massive pile of presents with a 6 year old and a 4 year old. No presents came from Santa and nobody cared. Why would you claim that stuff you bought the kids was actually from a person who doesn't exist instead of from yourself?

Because it's a wonderful tool for lazy parents to use in disciplining their badly behaved kids from Halloween onwards. The threat of Santa far surpasses that of "the man" or "the lady" when out in public.

Personally I was 7 and I think anything beyond that is far too old to still be believing. I have no intention of going down the Santa route with my kids. Don't see the point in lying to them.

Blatter · 25-12-2011 08:38PM

At around 10 or 11 because of my older brother.

He's a couple of years older than me and I was asking him does he believe in Santa and what does he say?

''No I don't believe in him but you should, you're younger''

And he wasn't being sarcastic, he was actually deadly serious.

There wasn't enough of these bad boys :rolleyes: in the world for him.

robinph · 25-12-2011 08:42PM

Chinafoot wrote: »

robinph wrote: »

Just spent the day opening a massive pile of presents with a 6 year old and a 4 year old. No presents came from Santa and nobody cared. Why would you claim that stuff you bought the kids was actually from a person who doesn't exist instead of from yourself?

Because it's a wonderful tool for lazy parents to use in disciplining their badly behaved kids from Halloween onwards. The threat of Santa far surpasses that of "the man" or "the lady" when out in public.

Personally I was 7 and I think anything beyond that is far too old to still be believing. I have no intention of going down the Santa route with my kids. Don't see the point in lying to them.

Well that just sounds like poor parenting. The threat of presents from anyone being removed was a perfectly adequate threat used today. If Santa had been the source of the presents would have made no difference at all. Why do you need to use imaginary creatures, be that old bearded men in red coats or flying spaghetti monsters, to keep children in order?

edit. Sorry on mobile in the car at the moment and miss read the context of your message a bit there.

Chinafoot · 25-12-2011 08:49PM

robinph wrote: »

Well that just sounds like poor parenting. The threat of presents from anyone being removed was a perfectly adequate threat used today. If Santa had been the source of the presents would have made no difference at all. Why do you need to use imaginary creatures, be that old bearded men in red coats or flying spaghetti monsters, to keep children in order?

Why do you need to use the "the lady" in the library who is "going to slap" your kids? (This has happened to me in work on numerous occasions.)

Because some parents are lazy and don't want to take responsibility for their own decisions when it comes to disciplining their children. Using Santa as person who will take away the presents means the parent isn't "the bad guy."

Personally I would argue that lying to your child about Santa knowing that they will eventually find out its all bullshít, and possibly in a very hurtful way, is bad parenting.

Different strokes and all that. Won't be lying to mine though.

previous user · 25-12-2011 09:39PM

Twelve, was that too late?

Mikel91 · 25-12-2011 09:51PM

I was 12 too!

There seems to be a gap between my friends in that half of us found out at 12 and the rest found out at about 8 hah,

downwithpeace · 25-12-2011 09:52PM

I tore the house down every year looking for presents, I think 7 or 8 when I found one labeled from Santa and that was that.

ninebeanrows · 25-12-2011 09:55PM

7 or 8!?

Isn't that when Christmas is at its best!?

You poor children.

I found out when i was 12, although i knew when i was 12 but faked it, so really 11.

Santa is the best from 5-10, i feel sorry for the 7 year old finderoutters!

Kev.OC · 25-12-2011 09:56PM

9 or 10 I think.

I disagree with people here saying it's bad parenting. I remember all my Santa memories fondly. We'd be coming home from mass on Christmas eve and my parents would look of the car and say "I think I just saw him" and the like to get me excited. Before bed I'd put out milk for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer. Then the following morning I'd charge into the parents room at what I'd now consider to be a shockingly early time (possibly worth noting I'm an only child). We'd sneak down the stairs. Then dad would stop us at the base of the stairs, claiming to hear something from the sitting room. I'd charge in and there'd be a load of presents under the tree. I honestly can't describe how happy I was all those mornings.

I completely disagree that it's bad and lazy parenting. Yes, it hurt finding out about Santa, but the years before that were absolutely magical, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. And if someday I have kids I'd hate to deprive them of all the joy and happiness which I was fortunate enough to experience.

robman60 · 25-12-2011 09:57PM

Eight years old, in second class.

My suspicions were raised when some man from the shoebox appeal said "There's no Santa for these kids" and when I got hom i looked it up in the dictionary. Upon seeing the word fictional I felt a little sad...

Kept up the lie for a few years though :P

decisions · 25-12-2011 09:57PM

8 everyone in school laughed. But who is laughing now...

ninebeanrows · 25-12-2011 09:58PM

decisions wrote: »

8 everyone in school laughed. But who is laughing now...

baby jesus

jimbomalley · 25-12-2011 10:08PM

10...parents started talking about where they had bought the jumper i was wearing that santa had given me. sneaky feckers, pretty sure they did it on purpose too!! had my suspicions though so wasnt too great a shock

Sisko · 25-12-2011 10:33PM

I was 9. No one told me. I had an epiphany.

I was laying in bed one summer morning pondering the world and the concept of Santa popped into my head. Without the blur that is "the magic of Christmas" to cloud my judgement I considered all the things about Santa we are told and are supposed to believe and deemed it all to be ridiculous.

In my 9 year old mind I thought "if there really was such a powerful being on earth who was capable of such things those powers could be used for more beneficial things to humanity then giving mere gifts to little kids. Plus surely world governments would have tried to confront/connect with such a powerful being in some way".

I concluded it was a story made up by parents to give kids that extra bit of magic during the holiday and was content with that. I confronted my Dad about it and he came clean.

The fact that I still got a present from "Santa" and my parents due to my little sister still believing made it easier to take also. :pac:

Think we kept that one going till she was 11 or so.

In my later years I would have the same epiphany about religion.

Having said this, I certainly see myself doing the whole Santa thing for any kids I may have. It does bring a certain amount of magic to the holiday. Though I think 9 is pretty late to learn the truth. Depends on the kids maybe.

Opics · 25-12-2011 10:41PM

I can't believe some people are saying they found out as late as 12 :eek:

Surely some inkling of 'Wait, this concept of Santa Claus is a bit ridiculous', would have came into your mind around the 9/10 mark

I was around the 8 mark I'd say...I got golf clubs for Christmas when I was 9 and I didn't believe then, so before that.

Jimmy Garlic · 25-12-2011 10:50PM

Opics wrote: »

Surely some inkling of 'Wait, this concept of Santa Claus is a bit ridiculous', would have came into your mind around the 9/10 mark

Like it is physically impossible for an obese man with a sack to fit down a pipe that is less than a foot wide.

I would wonder about the intelligence of any 12 year old that still believes in Santa.

jimbomalley · 25-12-2011 10:56PM

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

Like it is physically impossible for an obese man with a sack to fit down a pipe that is less than a foot wide.

I would wonder about the intelligence of any 12 year old that still believes in Santa.

jaysus Jim, again with da negitive vibes...serious chip on your sholder buddy...did Mr. S give you shiz presents or sumthin??

ConTheCat · 25-12-2011 11:00PM

Think I was 10, had an idea but my mam was in hospital so just said the presents are in a bag in my room.

Sisko · 25-12-2011 11:03PM

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

Like it is physically impossible for an obese man with a sack to fit down a pipe that is less than a foot wide.

I would wonder about the intelligence of any 12 year old that still believes in Santa.

jimbomalley wrote: »

jaysus Jim, again with da negitive vibes...serious chip on your sholder buddy...did Mr. S give you shiz presents or sumthin??

Kids don't want to consider that Santa is not real etc they'd be wrapped up in the joy of the magic of Christmas and wouldn't want to lose that. In other words at a certain age they'd just start kidding themselves about it.

Questioning the intelligence of a 12 year old who believes in Santa? You could say the same for an adult who believes in religion.

jimbomalley · 25-12-2011 11:10PM

Sisko wrote: »

Kids don't want to consider that Santa is not real etc they'd be wrapped up in the joy of the magic of Christmas and wouldn't want to lose that. In other words at a certain age they'd just start kidding themselves about it.

Questioning the intelligence of a 12 year old who believes in Santa? You could say the same for an adult who believes in religion.

You seriously cannot compare the still developing intelligence of a child (and a 12 yr old is still a child) to a fully grown, responsible adult? tsk tsk sir...

and no i dont believe in God or religion, 100% athiest and proud

later12 · 25-12-2011 11:11PM

I was about to turn 11; my father told me because he felt that I was getting too old for it.

I remember he told me in the car on the way back from under 12s training.

At first I thought it was very funny. Then I started to wonder what else my parents had made up.

It had all started with being told the truth about the tooth fairy & the Easter rabbit, and now it was Santa. For the next couple of years, I began to doubt the existence of God. As I said my prayers at bed time, it was always with a faint, detached, cynicism.

Some people - mistakenly, I believe - take the opinion that the Santa myth is dangerous. In my case its revisal marked the boundary between my childhood and adolescence, and encouraged me to think critically about other supposedly supernatural phenomena.

downwithpeace · 25-12-2011 11:15PM

ConTheCat wrote: »

Think I was 10, had an idea but my mam was in hospital so just said the presents are in a bag in my room.

Ouch, even with having the idea it's a bit of a wack, doubt santa was at the top of your concerns that Christmas and hope your mum was ok.

Sisko · 25-12-2011 11:17PM

jimbomalley wrote: »

You seriously cannot compare the still developing intelligence of a child (and a 12 yr old is still a child) to a fully grown, responsible adult? tsk tsk sir...

Well my point was, you can't be surprised at 12 year olds believing (x) when billions of adults still believe in (y)

jimbomalley · 25-12-2011 11:21PM

Sisko wrote: »

Well my point was, you can't be surprised at 12 year olds believing (x) when billions of adults still believe in (y)

agree then....

i mis-understood earlier...full of booze and pudding, i'm sure you understand

Dermighty · 25-12-2011 11:41PM

5 years old

I find it stranger that 10 years olds believe in Jesus but not Santa...

25-12-2011 11:44PM

About six I think? I can't remember the "moment" I found out he wasn't real or anything.

Satts · 25-12-2011 11:53PM

I got suspious when I saw him starring in that film, "The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down." I mean how could he deliver all those presents if he wasn't allowed to stop the bus. :rolleyes:

What age did you find out about Santa?

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