https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:05:20 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1283902 Mon, 16 Dec 2013 11:10:05 +0000 Anagram 1283902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: oh no! That story is sad, too! I teach in a middle school and it honestly never ocurred to me that kids this age would still believe in Santa. but I would also never say anything rude.</p> <p>A student just this morning asked what Santa was going to bring my LO, so I assumed he knew Santa was me (why else would he ask me), so I said we were just giving her some small things. It never occured to me he might be asking because he thinks a real Santa will be giving my LO gifts.</p> <p>But he was an 8th grader, so I'm 99% sure I'm safe. Still, your story is sad! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1283887 Mon, 16 Dec 2013 11:08:40 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 1283887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never believed in Santa. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1283865 Mon, 16 Dec 2013 11:05:49 +0000 Anagram 1283865@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shutterbug: awww...that story just broke me heart, I don't know why! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257564 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 20:16:00 +0000 Ra 1257564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: We did this in our house, too! I found out in kindergarden or 1st grade by the 5th graders on the bus. I was upset for like a day but then my mom let me help with Santa for my brother. I also got to be the Easter bunny and hide his basket. I in no way felt lied to or scarred. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257486 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 19:43:36 +0000 BKCaribBaby 1257486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Very early. I think I knew by the time I was 7, if not earlier. Santa was not something that was ever really emphasized to me, so I just moved on really quickly. I loved Christmas then, and I still do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257449 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 19:20:57 +0000 fussygal 1257449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was about 7 and we were watching the news and before they went to commercial they said something like "when we get back, we learn that maybe Santa IS real" or something like that and I immediately asked my mom. I had a minor freak out where I yelled "YOU LIED TO ME!" Lol. My mom still teases me about it :P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257418 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 18:58:38 +0000 MsMamaBear 1257418@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No idea when I found out! LOL! I DO know I hate hearing kids tell the others Santa isn't real, then I have to change the subject. (I teach Pre-K, 4 yr olds.) Sadly, some kids do it in a nasty way, which makes it even worse. Ugh. I LOVE Christmas, but I hate this time of the year in the classroom. I just try not to bring Santa up AT ALL which is easy til they come in talking about him.lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257376 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 18:30:31 +0000 rsp213 1257376@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't remember exactly when I stopped. Maybe 8 or 9? However my sister is 6 years younger then me so it was fun to maintain the secret for her in the following years. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257328 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 18:07:33 +0000 chopsuey 1257328@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We never believed in Santa!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257285 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 17:49:44 +0000 Penny Lane 1257285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't remember ever believing! my father told me there was no Santa very early on. like, I was 2 or 3. I was always part of the ruse for my younger siblings. I ate the cookies and drank the milk, haha. </p> <p>I don't think we'll do Santa in the sense of a fat dude in red coming down your chimney, but we will likely do Santa presents still somehow. we haven't quite figured it out yet :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257272 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 17:41:47 +0000 Pepper 1257272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was in 3rd grade... a mean little boy on the bus told me he wasn't real and I was SO upset! I ran home and begged my mom to tell me he was wrong... And she told me the truth. I was soooo sad, haha! I remember feeling so lied to! Like @Mrs. Jump Rope:'s brother, I immediately asked about the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny. My little world was so upside down that day!</p> <p>I think about this a lot, and I still want to do the whole Santa thing because it's so great for little kids to believe in magic like that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257250 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 17:33:58 +0000 autumnlove 1257250@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I never thought he was real. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257249 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 17:33:09 +0000 PurplePeony 1257249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@pui: same here. I'm glad I never had a traumatic "moment of revelation," it was just kind of a natural realization. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257243 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 17:29:24 +0000 LuLu Mom 1257243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found out young, heard somethign downstairs thought it was Santa and I went to take a peak...and there was my parents filling the stockings. I was a sad 5 (or close to) year old but you know I still look back on it fondly. I remember trying to make it extra special for my younger sister. The rule in our family was Santa Comes if You believe...so we needed her to believe a long time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257060 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:40:57 +0000 Running Elley 1257060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I figured it out pretty early on my own but I still loved the magical aspect of the belief and I never said anything. My parents knew that I knew but I was the oldest so we kept it going for my younger siblings.. And I still enjoyed all the excitement too :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257042 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:37:00 +0000 yoursilverlining 1257042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I was around 6? I don't ever remember ever believing in a literal Santa - I mean, even as a kid, that's kind of out there! I do remember piecing together that "Santa" and my mom had the exact same handwriting. It wasn't upsetting to discover; I definitely never felt like my parents had been lying. It was no big deal and didn't ruin the magic or the spirit of the season. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257029 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:32:30 +0000 lilyann 1257029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no idea when I found out but I know it wasn't a big deal...obviously since I cant remember :wink: I had a little brother, so I am sure I played along for him. I remember my mom saying that if we had to question it, then we would probably stop getting presents from him, haha, that shut me up real quick. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257013 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:29:37 +0000 NCSUchick27 1257013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was very gullible child and believed in Santa until I was about 11. It was no big deal when I found out that he wasn't real. </p> <p>I will definitely be Santa for my children. I just can't imagine Christmas without Santa. My parents were awesome at being Santa. They made it so much fun for me that I want to do the same for my kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1257011 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:29:02 +0000 IRunForFun 1257011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think I was around 8? I just kind of figured it out and then asked my mom...she didn't lie, when I asked if he was real, she told me the truth, but then asked me to continue "believing" for my younger sister's sake. Apparently my younger sister figured it out not too long after, but she kept "pretending" to believe until she was 11 because my parents had so much fun with Santa and it was fun to see what they came up with.</p> <p>I loved believing in Santa when I was little! My parents really got into the whole thing - leaving notes from Santa on the empty cookie tray, putting "reindeer tracks" in the yard, and once my mom even acted like she left her video camera on all night by accident and caught Santa in the house! (She dressed in a red snowsuit with white gloves and black boots and recorded the gloved handed picking up cookies, etc.) It was all so exciting and magical to me, and I don't remember being devastated when I found out he wasn't real, I remember thinking it was fun to keep the belief alive for my sister. </p> <p>We still get presents "from Santa" and I'm for sure doing it with my kids! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256970 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:19:44 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 1256970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't ever remember believing! When I was like 5 or 6 I told my Gran I knew he wasn't real and she tried to tell me he was. lol. I have no idea why I didn't believe? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256960 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:17:41 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1256960@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found out in 6th grade nearing Christmas break. My teacher told me. A bunch of us were hanging around at her desk and someone said matter of factly Santa wasn't real. I must have said something bevause my teacher responded with a not so nice comment that I was too old to still believe in him.</p> <p>I was devastated that for 11 years my parents lied to me. I was so gullible. This definitely shaped if I my children would have Santa. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256903 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:04:13 +0000 Smurfette 1256903@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't remember at all. I do remember when we were older, that my Mom would tell us if we don't believe then we didn't get gifts. </p> <p>@mediagirl: Ditto! I will be pissed if someone else's kid who was told Santa isn't real, ruins it for my LO. PISSED! Something magical about a kid believing in Santa. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256893 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:59:35 +0000 TemperanceBrennan 1256893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have vivid memories of believing in Santa, but I did believe at one point. I remembering setting out carrots with the cookies for the reindeer. </p> <p>Apparently when we bought presents to donate one year, I asked my parents why we need to do that Santa brings presents to everyone. I got really sad that Santa wasn't being fair to all the kids and my mom had to explain it to me. She said that Santa was the spirit of giving. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256891 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:58:31 +0000 cmomma17 1256891@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I still believe :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256889 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:57:50 +0000 MrsTiz 1256889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: this, so much this! I'm surprised at how many people on HB won't be doing Santa.. I really hope they at least tell their children not to ruin it for everyone else. </p> <p>Santa was so much fun when I was little.. I found out he wasn't real because I noticed my mom and Santa wrapped their presents in the same paper w/ the same handwriting lol! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256884 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:55:32 +0000 pui 1256884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really don't remember. I think I pretty much just slowly realized it. It wasn't crushing at all for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256880 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:54:27 +0000 mrs. wagon 1256880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shutterbug: oh my gosh I was laughing/crying at the story about your brother!!! So funny and so so sad!!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256871 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:51:51 +0000 Mrs. Blue 1256871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like @mrs. wagon:, it must have been early because I don't remember any epiphany, but I also had two older brothers so maybe I just learned it by sibling osmosis. That said, my mother has always said that when you stop believing in Santa you get underwear for Christmas, so I make sure I still believe. :wink: In our house, the emphasis was on the Christian perspective of Christmas and Santa was generally treated more like what @lawbee11: said, just an embodiment of the spirit of Christmas.</p> <p>We'll do Santa, but we won't make it a huge deal like it's 100% real. Kind of like if we do Elf on the Shelf, it will be just a fun thing not like the elf is actually going to the North Pole every night. :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256869 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:51:27 +0000 Shutterbug 1256869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found out in 4th grade, in the summer. My mom didn't want me to start the school year still believing in Santa. I had a pretty solid hunch before then though. </p> <p>My brother found out that same year (he was in 1st grade) because my dad left the box to one of his toys in the shed. He came running in the house, half in tears, half laughing saying "Santa left his trash in our shed, that's funny right? That's why it's in there, right? Right mom?" and then he burst into tears. Haha it was so sad.</p> <p>A friend of mine found out and went through the whole "so there's no Easter Bunny? There's no Tooth Fairy?" routine, and then asked her mom "So there's no God?" Funny how kids' minds work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/when-did-you-find-out-the-truth-about-santa#post-1256847 Tue, 03 Dec 2013 15:47:13 +0000 LovelyPlum 1256847@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was never officially told by my parents. I'm the oldest, and when they realized I had figured it out, the tradition in our house was that you became Santa for others. Honestly, that's how I've always thought about it, and that's what I like about it-giving to others.</p> <p>@char54: this sounds like me! </p>