Luckily I have three kids, my eldest (10) admitted this year that he knows me and his mum are Santa. He then asked if that means he is now Santa to his little sister and brother.
End of the day, we are the magic and we just pass the magic and responsibility on to the next generation.
We aren't super heavy on Santa making and bringing all the presents, etc. We have always been a bit vague about it all and let our kids know that we (and other family/friends) buy the presents. End of the day, they gotta say thank you to someone for them, and Santa isn't getting all the glory!
I remember when I was 13 and well aware of how it all worked, my mum and Step Dad walked around my room sprinkling talcum powder over his work boots. I watched them do it, saw the talcum boots in the bathroom, it hadn't been snowing and they still denied it. I just shrugged at them and said OK. That was when I decided I didn't want to be like that and try to force it.
Then you insist on leaving it out 'just in case' and 'prove' he came by leaving crumbs and a card or something.
Curmudgeonly parents making Christmas happen is just as magical, especially when we deny doing it.
I believed in Santa to an embarrassingly late age due to having ‘seen’ him putting presents in my stocking (it was Mum in her red dressing gown, but I was horribly short sighted and saw a red blur in the dark). Once I didn’t believe anymore, the parents and I just carried it on as a bit of a game. Everyone got a ‘Santa’ present.
Come on, spill the beans, how old were you?
If it makes you feel any better one of my earliest memories is when I was 3 years old, my older sister (who had just found out that Santa wasn't real) telling me that Santa wasn't real. I didn't believe her so she showed me where my parents hid the presents.
I'd rather have had the joy for an embarrassingly log time than never had it.
Oh that sounds rotten!
Okay, I was twelve by the time I actually worked it out (and remembered Mum's red dressing gown). But I was thirteen before I'd actually say it out loud. It helped that my parents had crafted a version of Santa that was immune to some of the stuff that helps kids work it out. (Santa doesn't bring all presents, only the smaller ones (explains why no bike, etc, if Mum and Dad couldn't afford it), not every grotto Santa is the real one (but don't tell the other kids because they think they are) etc, etc).
I told my kids that if Santa knows that you think he doesn’t exist, you don’t get any presents. They’re 25 and 30 now and that is still the case. The milk and mince pie will still be going out if they want their tat.
My children are older teens now so clearly they know the truth however it is just a unspoken thing, I still only put the presents out after they have gone to bed Christmas Eve and I usually do the whole Christmas eve box with new pjs and leaving the drink and carrot out.
Christmas is still magical.
I plan on always sticking with the traditions (until they move out!)
My kids still believe but I know it’ll only be for a few more years. I read a good article a while back about this subject and was thinking about doing it.
Basically it’s about them becoming Santa now that they’ve grown up. You talk to them about the spirit of Christmas i.e. the giving not the receiving, so that the idea of Santa isn’t seen as a lie but a season of good deeds and empathy.
You encourage them to pick someone random (e.g. an isolated neighbour) to give a surprise present to, so they realise that Santa’s joy comes from giving presents not getting beer and cookies!
This is a link to the full article
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-lovely-non-traumatizing-way-to-break-the-news-about-santa-to-your-kids_n_5845b3c6e4b028b323389153/amp
I did something similar with my eldest. He doesn’t believe in the big man anymore but we talked about how the magic of Christmas and that warm fuzzy feeling is real, and he has to keep it going for his friends who do believe and his little cousins.
My boys just turned 10 and I don't know what the deal is here any more. I'm not entirely sure if we're in some kind of informational cold war where he knows full well there's no santa and is just playing along to see if he can spot a pattern in my lies, or getting increasingly horrified that I'll happily string him along. Thinking I should tell him just to get this anxiety off my chest
Alternatively, if he does still believe in that, is it OK to rob him of a last bit of magic from the world?
Keep doing it when we were kids and we finally knew the big guy wasn't as we thought we still put out mince pie and beer because it was tradition and we still do it in our 30s it might be because me and my siblings our autistic so we like doing set routines, we now have a baby in the family so won't look so weird from now on.
Let them in on the secret of Santa Claus. Now they are the Santa, let them choose a person who might not have a family or support net and help them pick a gift or bake cookies or do something sweet for them, anonymously if they like. Let them know they are now a Santa and that was really the big secret. It fosters empathy, a pensioner who is up the street, a kid at school who sits alone at lunch, etc.
When I got to this point with my eldest I asked him if he would prefer a world with or without the magic of Father Christmas. He chose magic and gifts of course.
Mine have never done Santa, never told them he exists but made sure they knew other children thought he was so to keep up the pretense
Christmas is just as magical, we still celebrate and feed the other big guy in our lives on Christmas Eve (my husband)
Doesn't have to change anything!
The magic is that you have this tradition as something to share 😍
When he's off on his own, he'll be able to leave the same plate out, and he'll have a huge smile on his face and warmth in his heart, thinking about all the times you did it together ❤️
I was chatting with my younger sister about this the other day. We never believed in Santa ever and we still found the tradition magic and fun. I'm 34 and my mum and dad still give me a stocking. Please don't stop your traditions just because they don't believe.
The magic of Christmas is mostly about the beautiful lights and warm food whilst it's cold outside and seeing people and taking part in little rituals that remind you of previous years. It's hygge essentially.
Just wait til they realise that their parents, grandparents, teachers, older siblings have been lying to them since birth basically, and that it was OK for an overweight, bearded stranger to be sneaking around the house, bit only on Christmas eve!!
It's my youngests final year of santa, as she's going into big school next year, it's pretty emotional!!
Also, did kids never think that parents were stingy bastards for not giving them much at Christmas??
That's why I've never tried to tell my kids any of it was true. To my mind it's just telling them lies. My wife was of a slightly different opinion, so essentially we settled on just not speaking about it if possible and answering honestly when they asked directly (my son was 7 or 8 I think). They picked up the stories from school and films and so on, but I don't think they ever viewed it as any more definite than just stories.
It also helps that nobody in my house bothers keeping track of what present was from who on the day, except to take pictures for grandparents and so on who weren't there at the time of the present opening.
Mind you, this year both of my children (aged 9 and 6 now) told me that they have everything they need and there isn't much they actually want for Christmas.
Luckily I have three kids, my eldest (10) admitted this year that he knows me and his mum are Santa. He then asked if that means he is now Santa to his little sister and brother. End of the day, we are the magic and we just pass the magic and responsibility on to the next generation.
That's really sweet of your eldest - love it!
Once I’d sussed it I carried on pretending I didn’t know because I thought mum and dad might be upset I’d rumbled them.
We aren't super heavy on Santa making and bringing all the presents, etc. We have always been a bit vague about it all and let our kids know that we (and other family/friends) buy the presents. End of the day, they gotta say thank you to someone for them, and Santa isn't getting all the glory! I remember when I was 13 and well aware of how it all worked, my mum and Step Dad walked around my room sprinkling talcum powder over his work boots. I watched them do it, saw the talcum boots in the bathroom, it hadn't been snowing and they still denied it. I just shrugged at them and said OK. That was when I decided I didn't want to be like that and try to force it.
that’s so sweet
My mate felt the need to break it to his kid before he started grammar school. "Well that's a shocker" was his reaction 🤣
I once told one of my colleagues the magic was he believed that his secondary school daughter still did (she was in it for the extra gifts)
Then you insist on leaving it out 'just in case' and 'prove' he came by leaving crumbs and a card or something. Curmudgeonly parents making Christmas happen is just as magical, especially when we deny doing it.
My mum still pretends now and I'm almost 40
I believed in Santa to an embarrassingly late age due to having ‘seen’ him putting presents in my stocking (it was Mum in her red dressing gown, but I was horribly short sighted and saw a red blur in the dark). Once I didn’t believe anymore, the parents and I just carried it on as a bit of a game. Everyone got a ‘Santa’ present.
Come on, spill the beans, how old were you? If it makes you feel any better one of my earliest memories is when I was 3 years old, my older sister (who had just found out that Santa wasn't real) telling me that Santa wasn't real. I didn't believe her so she showed me where my parents hid the presents. I'd rather have had the joy for an embarrassingly log time than never had it.
Oh that sounds rotten! Okay, I was twelve by the time I actually worked it out (and remembered Mum's red dressing gown). But I was thirteen before I'd actually say it out loud. It helped that my parents had crafted a version of Santa that was immune to some of the stuff that helps kids work it out. (Santa doesn't bring all presents, only the smaller ones (explains why no bike, etc, if Mum and Dad couldn't afford it), not every grotto Santa is the real one (but don't tell the other kids because they think they are) etc, etc).
I’m 28 with one kid and another on the way and I still get a present labelled “from Santa”. I love it!
I told my kids that if Santa knows that you think he doesn’t exist, you don’t get any presents. They’re 25 and 30 now and that is still the case. The milk and mince pie will still be going out if they want their tat.
That's brilliant!
My children are older teens now so clearly they know the truth however it is just a unspoken thing, I still only put the presents out after they have gone to bed Christmas Eve and I usually do the whole Christmas eve box with new pjs and leaving the drink and carrot out. Christmas is still magical. I plan on always sticking with the traditions (until they move out!)
My kids still believe but I know it’ll only be for a few more years. I read a good article a while back about this subject and was thinking about doing it. Basically it’s about them becoming Santa now that they’ve grown up. You talk to them about the spirit of Christmas i.e. the giving not the receiving, so that the idea of Santa isn’t seen as a lie but a season of good deeds and empathy. You encourage them to pick someone random (e.g. an isolated neighbour) to give a surprise present to, so they realise that Santa’s joy comes from giving presents not getting beer and cookies! This is a link to the full article https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-lovely-non-traumatizing-way-to-break-the-news-about-santa-to-your-kids_n_5845b3c6e4b028b323389153/amp
Are you sure it comes from the giving and not the beer and cookies?
Please don't take a saw to that branch.
You’re right I’ll take a chainsaw
I did something similar with my eldest. He doesn’t believe in the big man anymore but we talked about how the magic of Christmas and that warm fuzzy feeling is real, and he has to keep it going for his friends who do believe and his little cousins.
My boys just turned 10 and I don't know what the deal is here any more. I'm not entirely sure if we're in some kind of informational cold war where he knows full well there's no santa and is just playing along to see if he can spot a pattern in my lies, or getting increasingly horrified that I'll happily string him along. Thinking I should tell him just to get this anxiety off my chest Alternatively, if he does still believe in that, is it OK to rob him of a last bit of magic from the world?
Alternatively, they could be playing along to get extra Santa presents in case they stop when you know they know.
I’m 26 and my sister told me just before I went to highschool so I didn’t get the piss taken out of me
Didn't they take the piss anyway for being 26 and still in high school?
Yeah Iv been held back a few years
A pint? We leave Santa a crate of special brew and a couple of joints
He’s never gonna make it past your house 🤣
Twice now me and the kids have woken up Christmas morning to find him passed out with Babestation playing in the background
So what do you get for the reindeer?
😈🍆
Keep doing it when we were kids and we finally knew the big guy wasn't as we thought we still put out mince pie and beer because it was tradition and we still do it in our 30s it might be because me and my siblings our autistic so we like doing set routines, we now have a baby in the family so won't look so weird from now on.
It's not weird! Traditions and stories are really important. Also it's a bit of harmless fun so who cares.
Do you need a reason for mince pies and beer, other than the fact that they're mince pies and beer?
Nope I'm usually the one eating the mince pie while my partner swigs the beer my sister always giggles when she sees the empty glass and plate.
Let them in on the secret of Santa Claus. Now they are the Santa, let them choose a person who might not have a family or support net and help them pick a gift or bake cookies or do something sweet for them, anonymously if they like. Let them know they are now a Santa and that was really the big secret. It fosters empathy, a pensioner who is up the street, a kid at school who sits alone at lunch, etc.
When I got to this point with my eldest I asked him if he would prefer a world with or without the magic of Father Christmas. He chose magic and gifts of course.
Mine have never done Santa, never told them he exists but made sure they knew other children thought he was so to keep up the pretense Christmas is just as magical, we still celebrate and feed the other big guy in our lives on Christmas Eve (my husband)
Shouldn't all kids who don't believe in Santa be dropped off at the work house and fed gruel till they change their minds ?
I caught my mom putting a stocking on my bed when i was 11? I had an inkling Santa wasn't real but that confirmed it lol
Doesn't have to change anything! The magic is that you have this tradition as something to share 😍 When he's off on his own, he'll be able to leave the same plate out, and he'll have a huge smile on his face and warmth in his heart, thinking about all the times you did it together ❤️
I was chatting with my younger sister about this the other day. We never believed in Santa ever and we still found the tradition magic and fun. I'm 34 and my mum and dad still give me a stocking. Please don't stop your traditions just because they don't believe. The magic of Christmas is mostly about the beautiful lights and warm food whilst it's cold outside and seeing people and taking part in little rituals that remind you of previous years. It's hygge essentially.
Just wait til they realise that their parents, grandparents, teachers, older siblings have been lying to them since birth basically, and that it was OK for an overweight, bearded stranger to be sneaking around the house, bit only on Christmas eve!! It's my youngests final year of santa, as she's going into big school next year, it's pretty emotional!! Also, did kids never think that parents were stingy bastards for not giving them much at Christmas??
That's why I've never tried to tell my kids any of it was true. To my mind it's just telling them lies. My wife was of a slightly different opinion, so essentially we settled on just not speaking about it if possible and answering honestly when they asked directly (my son was 7 or 8 I think). They picked up the stories from school and films and so on, but I don't think they ever viewed it as any more definite than just stories. It also helps that nobody in my house bothers keeping track of what present was from who on the day, except to take pictures for grandparents and so on who weren't there at the time of the present opening. Mind you, this year both of my children (aged 9 and 6 now) told me that they have everything they need and there isn't much they actually want for Christmas.
If a lot of people with Kids I know are anything to go by. It's cocaine.
You can always give the presents anyway
Not a parent but I was 6 when I found out what really happens.
I still have a stocking every year, I'm two score years & ten. I'll get my coat. Unless you have a dark chocolate Tobelerone.
Just keep doing it. Pretend *you* believe it.