Hellobee Boards

Some jerk in elementary school called me a baby when he found out I still believed in Santa. I cried all the way home on the bus. I really hope any parent that tells their kids Santa isn't real makes sure their kid knows other kids DO believe in Santa and ask them not to spoil it for others.

Santa was never real for me so no truth to find out.

Hahah I was so old - like 10 or 11? I never actually asked anyone about it - just kind of figured out it wasn't quite possible. I had 3 little sisters so I kept playing along for them. My dad still jokes that "char54 still believes!" Because I never asked them about it.

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.

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.

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.

@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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We still get presents "from Santa" and I'm for sure doing it with my kids!

I have no idea when I found out but I know it wasn't a big deal...obviously since I cant remember 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.

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

@pui: same here. I'm glad I never had a traumatic "moment of revelation," it was just kind of a natural realization.

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!

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.

We never believed in Santa!!

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

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.

@Shutterbug: awww...that story just broke me heart, I don't know why!

@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.

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.

But he was an 8th grader, so I'm 99% sure I'm safe. Still, your story is sad!