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I never "cried my eyes out" when I found out Santa wasn't real. I think it was a realization I came to over a period of time. I don't know anyone IRL that was "traumatized" by finding out there was no Santa or didn't think they could ever trust their parents again. We'll let E believe in Santa. To me these are the fun things you get to do with your children for such a short time, let the kids believe in a little bit of magic.

SANTA IS REAL. I certainly did not have an emotional break down of any sort when I found out Santa wasn't real.

Santa will be real in our home. I didn't have an emotional breakdown when I found out.

I can't remember how old I was, but I remember one year, we got up for Christmas and I noticed that our cats' stockings were empty (yes, Santa left presents for our cats) and I lamented "Oh no! Santa forgot the cats!" and my mom goes "Ooops!" and she goes and gets some cat toys off the top of the fridge and puts them in the stockings! That's when I knew Santa wasn't real.

But I must've sort of expected it because I don't remember being overly upset about it or anything. I was more like "Oh." and a little disappointed to find out she was really Santa. But I wasn't that upset about it!

No way for me. I am never going to lie (not to offend anyone! But this is very important to me personally from my traumatic childhood for a variety of reasons) to my kids. I plan to be delicately honest. I will tell her the spirit of santa is real and that people give presents in his name/ acting as him.

@LuLu Mom: I like!!

Santa was real for me as a kid, and as I got older, I started to realize he wasn't real. It just hit me one day; and I wasn't traumatized. Santa will probably be real for DS.

I was raised with stories of St. Nick and more of the spirit of Santa, it was a non-issue growing up. We put out cookies, we waited up on Christmas eve, we saw Santa's helper at the mall. We are planning similar, not currently real, but as a historical person and a holiday spirit. I think imaginitive play its very beneficial for kids, and plan on enjoying the heck out of it.

The way I grew up was Santa is real IF you believe and celebrate him. Meaning Santa does not visit everyone. As a child this had more to do with religious beliefs. My Jewish classmates didn't celebrate Christmas/ Santa and Jehova Witnesses nor Muslims nor Hindus in India have Santa either.

I was VERY dissappointed to learn Santa wasn't real at age 11. It's one thing to know he brings gifts to only kids like yourself, it's another to find out your parents and family and neighbors were all in on the lie. Our next door neighbors hid our gifts. I would make a list every year and bake cookies for Santa. This was quite the production.

My husband did not grow up with Santa, but did celebrate Christmas. We will not be a Santa house. We tell our children we do not believe in Santa, the gifts will be from us. I don't see a need to flat out say he isn't real when teaching religious respect for traditions should suffice for a good while.

We'll tell him Santa is real for those who believe in him. As PPs have said, I don't know anyone who has been really upset to find out that Santa isn't real. The post mentioning Mickey Mouse made me realize it's kind of comparable to realizing the characters at Disney aren't real. It was just something I gradually realized. If we were young enough to have a meltdown about it my mom would have just told us that person is wrong and maybe they don't have Santa Clause or their parents have to do Santa's job because they don't believe in him, but since we do Santa is real for us. She had that talk once with my little brother, and it was never necessary for me. I then I was 7 or 8 when I started putting the pieces together, and I asked if he was real and told her I wanted to know the truth. She told me and said not to spoil it for my brother. I actually felt cool, like I was in on the adult's secret.

Santa is real in our home. My 11 year old still believes, but has had a lot of doubt and questions this year. He knows that his classmates don't believe and they have told him that it's mom and day buying the gifts. Instead of lying to him, I simply say, "If you believe, Santa comes; if you don't believe, he doesn't."

I think that my Dad had the best response to the question "Is Santa real?" He would look at me and say "Do you think I would buy all those gifts?" and I always thought "no." He never said Santa was real or fake, he let me fill in the blanks. I totally intend to do the same thing. I'm not telling my kids that Santa is real, but I'm not saying he is fake either, they can decide!

PS to answer your other questions, here is how I found out. My dad's work partner would call me every year to ask what I wanted for Christmas. I noticed, Santa's voice sounded like this person I knew! That was maybe age 5ish?

And, now that my son is almost three and in preschool, he has started bringing up Santa a lot. I've sort of discussed this on the boards a bit but basically whenever he brings it up, I ask him what he thinks about Santa, and then I tell him gently that Santa is pretend and that his presents will come from mom, dad, his grandmas, etc. I feel sort of like a killjoy but what can I do, right? This is what we have decided to do and I hope over the coming years it will pay off for our family.

We are going to treat Santa like any other fictional character, like Elmo or Barney. I just don't believe in lying to my kids like that.

Santa is real! I figured it out when I was 7 or 8 and I was asked to keep quiet so I wouldn't ruin it for my younger brother. I felt I was being trusted with an important secret!

@mamimami: yea I don't mind talking about Santa and having fun with him but I hate the whole "be good for Santa so he can bring you presents".

@T.H.O.U.: that is my issue as well...same with elf on the shelf.

@T.H.O.U.: I hate that, too. Especially because the brattiest kids always seem to get the most gifts. I think I am going to tell our LO that "Santa gives to those that give" and make it a tradition to donate some of her toys/clothes each year.

@LuLu Mom: this.

My parents had to tell me because I was gettig give an age that my mom was worried I would be teased. I wasn't upset when I found out.

Funny story:@MamaBehr: one year Santa brought us a Nintendo. My second sister, who was 8 at the time and beginning to question the real ness of Santa, exclaimed that now she knew that Santa really existed because there was no way my parents would have bought us one.