At what age do children these days stop believing in Santa...

[parahandy2000]

What age do children these days stop believing in Santa? My daughter is 8, and I reckon if not this year, probably next. I feel kids are smart and kid on they still believe as they reckon they'll get more presents...

[Hopkirk]

I daren't ask my 11 year old if she has sussed it yet.

I'm sure she has, and just keeps up the pretence to humour us.

[momcj]

Thats a hard one because it is so magic when they believe but you dont want them to be picked on at school. My daughter is 5 so obviously i dont have to worry about it for a while, but i think i would keep up the magic unless they ask really. Maximum tell them when go up to secondry school, oh it must be horrible telling them, its as if you are dashing all there dreams- soz that dont really help. x

[Goodsoulette]

I think my eldest, also 8, figured it out a couple of years ago. He's just saying nowt cause he thinks he'll lose out on a present. He sort of has a knowing smirk and doesnt ask for anything he thinks mummy can't afford.

[Answerprancer]

There is no Santa???? Waaaahhhh :-'( (I'm 45)

[momcj]

What they figure it out by 6? OMG i think that is sad. I hated it when i found out, didnt want to believe it. It destroys the whole going to visit santa thing, and there happy faces. i will enjoy it while i can then!!!

[puternut]

Grand daughter 'discovered' with her school friends last year - she was 9.

She kept pretence up for a while but said well before she was a non-believer

[rachael88]

my niece was 7

[momcj]

Can i just ask are these ages when they were told by there parents or when they found out- and do you find out this later? Sorry i am hijacking this question! Im getting worried!!

[Answerprancer]

My sister and I worked it out for ourselves. I can't remember at what age but it wasn't terribly traumatic. Our parents did the whole thing with weird handwriting, mince pies and sherry left out, prezzies stuffed into pillow-cases, the lot.
If memory serves, my sister and I were never fully 'convinced' but loved it anyway and found it magical. We re-enacted it as adults at future family x-mases a few times just for old time's sake :-)

[MarkRae]

A mate of mine told me that Santa was dead because he'd been gored by his reindeer...

[Mamyalynne]

You don't tell them!! If they disbelieve allow them to, but most children play along as they know which side their bread is buttered, not daft.

[flobadob]

It doesn't matter they still get til late teens unless some agreement is reached.

[karenmac60]

Hey my daughter is still going along with it apart from the odd smirk, and she's 14!!!!

[EngTeach]

They figure it themselves. I think it only hurts them when an another kid shocks them. Our tenant's children did not believe at all and the daughter told my brother when he was about 6. My mom was so angry. The other mother said her child did nothing wrong and she did not teach her children to lie!

My boyfriend's kids were raised to not believe either (the mother is quite religious). But, they were told if they EVER ruined it for another a child they would have a very sorry Christmas for themselves.

[mrs_overall]

My youngest is10 and he still believes in Santa

[Brinjal]

Of all that life has thrown at me over 57 years the most devasting event for me was to find out that Santa wasnt real at age 8. Whaaaaa. How sad is that.

[mollykins]

I haven't believed in Santa Since I heard noise, went down stairs and saw dad drinking the brandy and letting my gerbils nibble the end of the carrot he'd chopped off.

But he still wants me to and it ended in tears one year because I went down stairs and he said 'has santa been' and I went 'no he doesn't exist' and he wouldn't come down stairs until mum heard me crying and made him.

[McMouse]

I still remember being told Santa wasn't real and being very upset. Shortly afterwards I stopped going to Sunday School and told my Mum I couldn't believe in God and Jesus either. I must have been 7 or 8.

[mollykins]

By the way these happened when I was 7 (I think) and last year! My dad still wants me to believe!

[mollykins]

I ruined for my nephew who I hated by telling him, when I was 8 and he was 5 . . . . he wouldn't stop crying . . . .