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debm55

(38,155 posts)
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 12:56 PM Yesterday

When did you find out there was no physical Santa? He was a spirit of giving, Did you tell your parents? t

Last edited Sat Dec 21, 2024, 11:02 AM - Edit history (5)

I was in First Grade, She showed me were the gifts were hidden. I ran into my bedroom and cried. . However, I didn;t tell my parents for a couple of years as I thought I wouldn't get anything. When did you find out or realize ?::

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When did you find out there was no physical Santa? He was a spirit of giving, Did you tell your parents? t (Original Post) debm55 Yesterday OP
I peeked through a hole in our backyard shed that parents had locked... wcmagumba Yesterday #1
Thank you wcmagumba. I tried to come up with every excuse for why the toys were in the room, Too young not to believe, debm55 Yesterday #4
my parents arranged for Santa to come to the house NJCher Yesterday #2
That's funny and thank you for sharing, NJCher debm55 Yesterday #21
My dad always told me that "we're your Santa Claus" jls4561 Yesterday #3
Cheers for your dad!! CrispyQ Yesterday #6
Yes , you are true. Once Santa goes down. Tooth Fairy , Easter bunny go down too. debm55 Yesterday #8
I don't have kids, but I would never have perpetuated this mean myth. CrispyQ Yesterday #5
I don't know about telling or not telling. But once you find out it's all over. debm55 Yesterday #11
I don't actually ever remember believing in Santa CanonRay Yesterday #7
My chimney was bricked in. I didn't think about that.Sometimes kids need a little make beiieve. though it hurts when you debm55 Yesterday #12
I always told my kids... ShepKat Yesterday #9
That is a very heartwarming I bought the whole Santa bit, and it hurt when I found out. debm55 Yesterday #13
What do you mean? Of course, there's a Santa! sinkingfeeling Yesterday #10
sinkingfeeling, I do believe in Santa as a spirit of giving. debm55 Yesterday #14
I was TODAY years old when I found out EYESORE 9001 Yesterday #15
Yes EYESORE 9001, Which leads me to the question, Should kids ever be told about Santa. I am in the middle of deciding debm55 Yesterday #16
Is today your birthday. If so Happy Birthday. Eyesore 9001 debm55 Yesterday #50
Around The Same Age, Deb ProfessorGAC Yesterday #17
Did you cry? Five is sort of a young age to have your bubble burst. debm55 Yesterday #18
Not That I Recall ProfessorGAC Yesterday #24
I cried, debm55 Yesterday #27
All I remember is my dad asking me Mad_Dem_X Yesterday #19
Thank you for sharing, Mad_Dem_X debm55 Yesterday #20
About the same time mwmisses4289 Yesterday #22
Thank you mwmisses4289, Love that story. debm55 Yesterday #28
Wait, what? Solly Mack Yesterday #23
You Mean You Don't Remember... ProfessorGAC Yesterday #25
Hush now. It still hurts. Solly Mack Yesterday #26
You never believed in Santa. even for a little while.???? debm55 Yesterday #29
Once, my older sister and brother, along with my mother rigged a box to fall once we were up the stairs. Solly Mack Yesterday #33
Thank you Solly Mack debm55 Yesterday #34
I hid in the back hall closet with the door slightly ajar. no_hypocrisy Yesterday #30
I knew some pretty nasty kids when I was little and they got presents. So the coal myth I never believed in. debm55 Yesterday #31
WHAT, THERE'S NO SANTA CLAUSE. . Emile Yesterday #32
Emile. I believe in the spirit of Chrismas. debm55 Yesterday #36
I don;t believe in the physical being, but i do the spiritual. debm55 Yesterday #49
I think my Dad told me Blappy Yesterday #35
Oh blappy I am sorry, but your post me smile while crying. debm55 Yesterday #37
I recount this humorously, so no apology needed. I was kinda sad and horrified in some way Blappy Yesterday #39
I was about 8, and I'm still pissed! WestMichRad Yesterday #38
I hate to be the one, but, about that Easter Bunny...can we talk? LoisB Yesterday #41
Do you want me to start another thread, debm55 Yesterday #42
Don't go bursting my bubble, ya big meany! WestMichRad Yesterday #55
I don't think I ever believed there is a physical Santa Claus. If I did, it was a time before my LoisB Yesterday #40
Thank you LoisB. I know I was 5 because we were talking about a metal dollhouse and she told me I got it and showed me debm55 Yesterday #43
I was 9. My parents told me. I didn't believe them Native Yesterday #44
Oh sweet Native I am sorry for you, But you could have believed in the Spirit of Santa. I do, and the gift of giving to debm55 Yesterday #45
When I was in first grade, some kid I never saw before or since crossed the street just to tell me about Santa rsdsharp Yesterday #46
Thank you very much rsdsharp. I believe in the spirit of Santa and the blessings of Santa to help, give and welcome the debm55 Yesterday #47
And presents. rsdsharp Yesterday #48
HAHAHHAHHAH. Thank you. debm55 Yesterday #51
My mom finally confessed when I asked her for the umpteenth time at age 7. LeftInTX Yesterday #52
Was either 6 or 7 Picaro Yesterday #53
I don't remember, but I STILL have a note, written by Dad, responding to my written note: 'Who r you?' elleng Yesterday #54
I was about 8, found the whole big stash of presents for 7 people. Then I knew. Clouds Passing Yesterday #56
Thank you. debm55 Yesterday #57
I was 7 living in Germany and the neighbor girl who was 11 gopiscrap 22 hrs ago #58
When I was little, my mother told me Santa was the spirit of Christmas. Dulcinea 21 hrs ago #59
As one of the roughly 40% of children who soldierant 2 min ago #60

wcmagumba

(3,232 posts)
1. I peeked through a hole in our backyard shed that parents had locked...
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 01:03 PM
Yesterday

I saw a blue piece of vinyl luggage that I later got from Santa...didn't say anything...I was probably about 8 or so and already had strong doubts...fun while it lasted....

debm55

(38,155 posts)
4. Thank you wcmagumba. I tried to come up with every excuse for why the toys were in the room, Too young not to believe,
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 01:09 PM
Yesterday

But had the facts. That's what PMO about her telling and showing me where they were.

NJCher

(38,184 posts)
2. my parents arranged for Santa to come to the house
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 01:06 PM
Yesterday

With gifts. As Santa was putting them under the tree, I said, "Mom, why does Santa have Eldon's (our neighbor) wedding ring on?"

Details, details.

jls4561

(1,592 posts)
3. My dad always told me that "we're your Santa Claus"
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 01:07 PM
Yesterday

Apparently he was so upset when he found out Santa wasn’t real, that he never wanted his precious baby girl to go through the same thing.
Nonetheless, I continued to reference Santa, have my picture taken with him, and joyfully await my stocking.
When I grew older and had some pocket money, I fixed stockings for my parents so they wouldn’t feel left out. I remember mama always got the smallest box of the Whitman’s sampler chocolates and I had to be extra sneaky in order to purchase their Santa presents.
People think it’s dreadful that I knew about Santa from an early age, but I didn’t mind. I didn’t tell my friends.

CrispyQ

(38,542 posts)
6. Cheers for your dad!!
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 01:12 PM
Yesterday

I never had kids but I knew I'd never do the Santa thing if I did.

CrispyQ

(38,542 posts)
5. I don't have kids, but I would never have perpetuated this mean myth.
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 01:09 PM
Yesterday

I was in first grade, too. A kid at daycare told me & my cousin, & we both cried. And just like that, there went the Easter bunny & the tooth fairy & a few years later, God. So some good did come from it.

CanonRay

(14,922 posts)
7. I don't actually ever remember believing in Santa
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 01:25 PM
Yesterday

We really didn't have a chimney, so there's that. I was one of those pain in the ass logical kids. I knew how long it took to fly around the world.

debm55

(38,155 posts)
12. My chimney was bricked in. I didn't think about that.Sometimes kids need a little make beiieve. though it hurts when you
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 02:22 PM
Yesterday

find out the truth.

ShepKat

(431 posts)
9. I always told my kids...
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 02:18 PM
Yesterday

St. Nick was a real person who handed out gifts a long time ago and his spirit is known as Santa. When Santa's spirit sparkles your heart, the spirit of giving and caring fills the air. They bought it lol

debm55

(38,155 posts)
13. That is a very heartwarming I bought the whole Santa bit, and it hurt when I found out.
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 02:26 PM
Yesterday

debm55

(38,155 posts)
16. Yes EYESORE 9001, Which leads me to the question, Should kids ever be told about Santa. I am in the middle of deciding
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 02:38 PM
Yesterday

of not telling the Santa myth. or letting it go on. It does really hurt. I tended at certain age to tell my son it was Spirit of giving.and not a real person..

ProfessorGAC

(70,512 posts)
17. Around The Same Age, Deb
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 02:52 PM
Yesterday

I was at the shoe store with my mom. A guy came in and talked to the 2nd clerk.
He said "These cowboy boots are from Santa, but I bought the wrong size."
It wasn't Christmas yet.
Hmmmm!
A dad BOUGHT the present, which was going to be from Santa?
Before we left the store I said "Santa's not real, is he mom?"
I remember it so well, I can still picture that dad's face.

ProfessorGAC

(70,512 posts)
24. Not That I Recall
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 04:29 PM
Yesterday

I might have been bummed, but I was probably also proud that I figured out.
Just guessing about that.

Mad_Dem_X

(9,809 posts)
19. All I remember is my dad asking me
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 03:17 PM
Yesterday

one Christmas Eve: "You know there's no Santa Claus, right?" I answered, "I figured there wasn't." I didn't get upset or anything, I just realized one day that "Santa" was really my parents. Dad just asked me not to tell my younger sister, so I kept up with the charade, until my sister was old enough to figure out the truth.

mwmisses4289

(181 posts)
22. About the same time
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 03:57 PM
Yesterday

I first heard the story "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus". I was about 7, and already beginning to realize Santa wasn't real.
Loved the story, though, still do.

Solly Mack

(93,185 posts)
33. Once, my older sister and brother, along with my mother rigged a box to fall once we were up the stairs.
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 04:50 PM
Yesterday

Used one of my old tricks of tying a string to something and then tying the other end to a door. Open the door and the object would fall. I got into a lot of trouble while perfecting that stunt.

Anyway, once up the stairs, the string was pulled, and the noise made. The youngest of us, myself and my other sister, heard the noise and the others acted as if they didn't know who made that noise, but it must be Santa.

We ran back down the stairs to a once empty tree being full of presents. It was a cool trick.

My first reaction was, "How did you do that?". Because I was still perfecting my string stunt. I needed to know. They refused to admit to it.

I was maybe 3 or 4.

Even so, I always knew my mother bought the gifts because I was the one who went shopping with her for gifts for my siblings. I was and am killer at keeping a secret. Even under threat from much older siblings.

Same for birthdays. Always knew what they were getting.

She actually did tell us to go to bed early or Santa won't come.

I believed in the magic of it all because to me it was magical.





no_hypocrisy

(49,151 posts)
30. I hid in the back hall closet with the door slightly ajar.
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 04:37 PM
Yesterday

And saw my parents bring up the presents.

I still feel pangs of disappointment. There was and never will be anyone as wonderful as Santa Claus. You could do no wrong. (Don't believe the myth about Santa bringing coal.) Santa was better than parents. Santa was better than God.

debm55

(38,155 posts)
31. I knew some pretty nasty kids when I was little and they got presents. So the coal myth I never believed in.
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 04:42 PM
Yesterday

Blappy

(135 posts)
35. I think my Dad told me
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 05:13 PM
Yesterday

but I misunderstood what he said, so for a time I thought Jesus killed Santa Claus.

Blappy

(135 posts)
39. I recount this humorously, so no apology needed. I was kinda sad and horrified in some way
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 05:22 PM
Yesterday

but I think when I heard Santa was a ruse for the celebration of Jesus' birthday, I had to 'blame' someone. In retrospect, I do not think Jesus would approve of the ruse, but Santa would say, "Ho Ho Ho, lighten up, dude!"

WestMichRad

(1,876 posts)
38. I was about 8, and I'm still pissed!
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 05:19 PM
Yesterday

Thank goodness I still have the Easter Bunny, though.

LoisB

(8,940 posts)
40. I don't think I ever believed there is a physical Santa Claus. If I did, it was a time before my
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 05:35 PM
Yesterday

memory.

debm55

(38,156 posts)
43. Thank you LoisB. I know I was 5 because we were talking about a metal dollhouse and she told me I got it and showed me
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 05:44 PM
Yesterday

place it was hidden. ^*&%&%$$$ cousin,

Native

(6,668 posts)
44. I was 9. My parents told me. I didn't believe them
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 05:49 PM
Yesterday

And when it finally got through to me, I was bereft cuz I assumed he had died. Bottom line I was hysterical, and the conversation concluded with my mother saying, "We had to tell you because we figured if we didn't you would believe in Santa for the rest of your life."

debm55

(38,156 posts)
45. Oh sweet Native I am sorry for you, But you could have believed in the Spirit of Santa. I do, and the gift of giving to
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 05:53 PM
Yesterday

those less fortunate then ourselves.

rsdsharp

(10,270 posts)
46. When I was in first grade, some kid I never saw before or since crossed the street just to tell me about Santa
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 05:54 PM
Yesterday

the day after Christmas break.

That said, there’s a small sign on the wall eight feet from where I sit that reads “This House Believes.” You can take that any way you choose.

debm55

(38,156 posts)
47. Thank you very much rsdsharp. I believe in the spirit of Santa and the blessings of Santa to help, give and welcome the
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 06:16 PM
Yesterday

strangers.

LeftInTX

(30,504 posts)
52. My mom finally confessed when I asked her for the umpteenth time at age 7.
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 07:10 PM
Yesterday

There was just too much evidence...(All the different Santas, no chimney, store bought items, presents hidden under their bed ) I think the lying just got too old....

So, then I ask, "I guess you are the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy too?"

Picaro

(1,842 posts)
53. Was either 6 or 7
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 07:14 PM
Yesterday

It was a price tag from People’s Drugs left on my Lincoln Logs. Always been a born skeptic, but this price tag caused the shaky Santa narrative to fall apart.

I then checked with my middle sister and she woefully confirmed my logic. I then decided to maintain the illusion of belief for that year so as to not disrupt the ambiance.

My youngest believed until she was 11. We elected to allow her to believe as long as she liked.

elleng

(136,754 posts)
54. I don't remember, but I STILL have a note, written by Dad, responding to my written note: 'Who r you?'
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 07:35 PM
Yesterday

He answered "I am your best friend."

He always was, and still is. (My mother died when I was young. Dad died a few years ago, at the age of 98.)

Clouds Passing

(2,674 posts)
56. I was about 8, found the whole big stash of presents for 7 people. Then I knew.
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 09:43 PM
Yesterday

I wasn’t upset or sad, just hmm well that is that about that.

gopiscrap

(24,206 posts)
58. I was 7 living in Germany and the neighbor girl who was 11
Fri Dec 20, 2024, 11:55 PM
22 hrs ago

told me both about Santa and Sex in the same conversation.needless to say it was a traumatic afternoon for me

Dulcinea

(7,592 posts)
59. When I was little, my mother told me Santa was the spirit of Christmas.
Sat Dec 21, 2024, 12:10 AM
21 hrs ago

I was fine with that. I told my kids the same thing.

soldierant

(7,973 posts)
60. As one of the roughly 40% of children who
Sat Dec 21, 2024, 10:06 PM
2 min ago

are terrified of Santa Claus ... I don't remember what age, but I was incredibly relieved.

I think it was my mom that told me. I remember one year they told me Santa was coming and I hid under the bed in panic - which gave my mother and grandmother time and space to do the gift wrapping they didn't want me to see - but it was a highly traumatic experience for me.

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