How did you learn Santa wasn't "real"?

betsnup · September 2009

I still remember when I found out Santa wasn't real. I was in 1st grade, talking to a classmate at recess. We were talking about Christmas, and she gave me this look like I was an idiot and said "You do know Santa isn't real, right?" I played like I was all smart and I totally knew that, and then went home and bawled in my mom's arms. She finally got me calmed down, I stood up to leave, and then it hit me - "Does this mean the Easter Bunny isn't real, too?!" I pretty much spent the night crying in her lap.

LynnJones · September 2009

I think I was around 8 or 9 and me and my older sister found our bikes "hidden" under our basement stairs and the tag on them said "from Santa". Then we put two and two together that mom's handwriting and Santa's handwriting matched perfectly! I remember being a little disappointed but nothing that scarred me for life that's for sure!

susiederkins · September 2009

We found that gift stash one day after school. But we weren't dumb. We kept that charade up a couple years.

bstngrl578 · September 2009

I was a little bit older, maybe 4th grade. I saw a new comforter in my parents closet and thinking "wow...I like that" or something along those lines. Never really thought much about it but then on Christmas morning...I opened that comforter from Santa. I never said anything to my parents I just kept on rolling with the "I believe" campaign.

phishphood · September 2009

I was about 7, I think. My mom threw out the receipt for my gifts "from Santa" in the kitchen garbage can. I walked in to throw away a wrapper from my snack, and I saw the receipt. I asked her why she had the receipt and she told me the truth. I was so mad that she lied to me about Santa that I wouldn't talk to her for a day or two. LOL

anardi · September 2009

I remember looking at the hand writing and comparing it to a shopping list on the counter. I actually think, this all happened on a Christmas morning. I have no idea how old I was - maybe 8 or 9?

houndbaby · September 2009

my friend across the street told me when I was in 1st or 2nd grade, my parents did everything they could to try to make me believe again cause I had 3 younger siblings and my parents didn't want it ruined for them either. I found out the Easter bunny wasn't real when I caught my nana putting the eggs out in the lawn, she claimed the easter bunny left her a note saying he was running late and asked her to do it for him.

cajuncutie0169 · September 2009

it was tradition when we were kids that we'd all spend the night at my grandma's house on christmas eve and santa would go there. one cousin and i were 6 or 7 and we were talking about how excited we were for santa to come. my two older cousins who were 8 or 9 were like "omg you're so stupid santa isn't real!" i knew my parent's were still at my grandma's house, so i ran out of the room to find my dad and walked right into the living room where all of our parents were assembling our santa gifts lol. i bawled.

dejavu · September 2009

i had actually lost a tooth and was waiting for the tooth fairy. we were in the midst of another cross country move (military). i didn't tell my parents. days went by and i finally said something to my mom. she said the tooth fairy was too busy. that's how i figured out all the others weren't real as well.

Mrs.Hizzo · September 2009

I have no memory of ever believing in Santa Claus. My sister insists that I must have at one point, but I don't think so. My siblings are 6 and 9 years older than me, and by the time I was old enough to "get" Santa, the cat was already out of the bag for them. I don't think anyone made a big effort to pretend for my sake. Consequently, I'm horrible with the whole Santa/Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy thing.

yo.mama · September 2009

It just came to me gracefully around the age of seven. No tears or drama. I still got presents and stockings, so it was all cool.

DH on the other hand was a fervent believer until the age of 11 when his mom finally broke the news. He was heartbroken and totally betrayed! He actually didn't want to do Santa when we had children, because of that experience. I assured him our son won't be as gullible as him.

Oh, and DH's little sister was like 6 and already knew Santa wasn't real, when their mom told him. He was such a dork. Duking it out for Santa on the playground.

EcoBaby · September 2009

When I was about 6, I looked under the crack of the bedroom door while my parents were wrapping presents. I saw Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. Exciting! Then Christmas morning comes along and BAM - Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head are from SANTA! I was like, "WTF?" in my head, but I didn't say anything out loud (obviously, then they would have known I peeked). I asked my sister about it later. She confirmed Santa = mom and dad. We played dumb for years so we would keep getting presents.

lzybeanie · September 2009

Wow! That sounds horrible!! I honestly don't remember when I realized it. I think it just dawned on me one year. I never had any snotty know it all friends blow it for me, though.

I think it was just a natural progression.

pixiedustie · September 2009

We were at the mall I was in 3rd grade and I just asked my Mom "is Santa real". She told me to hold that thought and took me and my sister to the cookie place and we got hot chocolate and cookie and she asked me "do you think Santa is real". I told her no and she told me I was right. Then she went on to tell us about the wonderful idea of Santa and then we went and bought gifts for the giving tree and since I had a little brother we still celebrated Santa for a few more years.

yo.mama · September 2009

pixiedustie:
We were at the mall I was in 3rd grade and I just asked my Mom "is Santa real". She told me to hold that thought and took me and my sister to the cookie place and we got hot chocolate and cookie and she asked me "do you think Santa is real". I told her no and she told me I was right. Then she went on to tell us about the wonderful idea of Santa and then we went and bought gifts for the giving tree and since I had a little brother we still celebrated Santa for a few more years.

That is the perfect way to handle it!

Disneygeek77 · September 2009

I was in kindergarten and just watched a movie on TV about someone breaking into a house. That night I couldn't sleep because I thought someone would break into our house. So I went to my parents for comfort. They assured me that all the doors and windows were locked and if someone would break in then the dogs would bark and wake everyone up. I thought about what they said and replied " But they don't bark when Santa comes." I remember my parents looked at each other and told me the truth. However since I was the oldest of three kids they made me promise not to tell the little ones and that I could help out next year with eating the cookies and putting out the presents. I was pretty happy after that.

Actually, this is silly but I felt more lied to when I found out that Jesus wasn't really born on December 25th. So to all those parent's who insist they don't want to lie to their kids I want to say " Uhh you know you are lying when you say Jesus's birthday is December 25th and he was probably born in the summer."

jessira · September 2009

I learned at school from a classmate when I was 8 but it wasn't a big deal to me. It was, however, my mission to not let my little sister find out the truth because I didn't want it ruined for her. My mom still wraps presents "from Santa" for us and buys special wrapping paper for Santa's gifts and disguises her handwriting... haha. I love it though and I will probably do the same thing. And my youngest sibling now (step-sib) is 15 so it's not like there is anyone to ruin it for, she just loves the "magic" of Christmas. My mom is so cute.

eminbmore · September 2009

OMG. I remember so clearly when this happened! I was 10 - way too old to still be believing in Santa, but still - and we were at dinner with a work colleague of my dads. She was telling some story and said "it was like when I figured out Santa Claus wasn't real!" I swear, I almost started crying right at the table. I'm sure the shocked expression on my face totally gave away the fact that I hadn't known before she said that.

choirgirl · September 2009

I'm late to the game, but...

I first figured out the Easter Bunny. It often snowed on Easter where I grew up, and when I was 8 or 9, my dad's footprints clearly led to each hidden egg (he was the classic absentminded professor). I figured it out, but for the sake of my sister who was 6.5 years younger than me, I kept my mouth shut. So that Christmas came, and I remember thinking hard about how to check with my mom about it without hurting anyone's feelings, so I asked her if maybe this year instead of milk with Santa's cookies, maybe it would be more polite to leave one of dad's diet sodas. She asked if I thought Santa wanted to lose weight, and I said, I thought *our* Santa wants to lose weight, and she asked me how I knew and I told her about the Easter Bunny, and that was that.

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