My son just turned 8 this month, and I wonder if this will be the last year that he believes in Santa. Since we moved to the Philippines two years ago, we started downplaying Santa because we couldn’t explain why Charlie and Olive got so many presents for Christmas while many local kids didn’t get any. Charlie justified it in his mind by believing that each country has a different Santa. For instance, Santa visits our Swedish and German friends’ homes on the night before Christmas Eve, while he visits American kids on Christmas Eve. And he thinks in the Philippines, parents are Santa. He wants to believe and can’t imagine that Santa, whom every child believes in, isn’t real.
When our kids were younger, the practical gifts like pajamas and books were from us, while the toys were from Santa. It was fun keeping the magic alive because I never got to experience it as a kid myself, so I loved experiencing Christmas through their eyes. They are little for such a short time. But this year the kids each got one small gift from Santa — a Pokemon plush fox for Charlie and a school supply set for Olive; Charlie asked Santa for a surprise while Olive requested a school supply set. The rest of the presents were from us. We also had the kids donate 10 toys each — they didn’t have very many to give up so they ended up mostly giving stuffed animals they win at the arcade, but the local kids still loved them. We passed out those toys along with a book, sweet treats and a toothbrush to the local kids in our neighborhood.
I was born in Korea in the 70’s where Christmas wasn’t as big of a holiday there as it is now. After we moved to America, I woke up in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve when I was 4 or 5 to see my mom wrapping a present. The next morning when I woke up, the same present was above my head (I had a floor bed) and my mom said that Santa had brought it. So I never believed in Santa or the tooth fairy, yet I wanted my kids to believe.
When we lived in New York, there were already some rumblings of Santa not being real in Charlie’s first grade class. But kids here tend to be innocent due to the small town nature of island life and the lack of media exposure. All of Charlie’s 8 year old friends still believe. I wonder how long they all will.
What age did you stop believing in Santa and how did you find out?
guest
I don’t remember what age I was myself, but my niece (11) and nephew (9) still believe! I’m not sure if my niece is playing along, the 9 year old is a total believer though
honeydew / 7622 posts
I grew up overseas during this time. So I never believed. We are letting DD lead us and doing Santa light.
pomelo / 5621 posts
I was probably about 10. I don’t really remember how I found out but it was probably kids at school.
I tried to make a majority of the presents from us and a couple plus his sticking from Santa. DS is 4 and I hope we get at least a few more years if true belief.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
I don’t remember ever believing in Santa, I don’t think my immigrant parents ever pretended there was a Santa, even though I remember wishing they had when I was growing up. I felt like I missed out on all the holiday fun and “magic” in that sense. I really did believe in the tooth fairy though because I remember waking up to money under my bed and feeling amazed!! Though I only got money for my tooth one time.
My coworker still does Santa (and the Easter Bunny) for her teenage kids and when they said, “there’s no santa!” she responded with, “if there’s no santa, I guess there will be no santa gifts!” and that shut them up real quick, hahaa… so now they just pretend to believe. It’s kind of funny.
Also, it’s really sweet how you’ve immersed your lives there with the locals. It sounds like Charlie and Olive are learning so much out there and are growing up beautifully in more ways than one.
kiwi / 524 posts
I remember being pretty sure about Santa at some point – maybe late elementary school? I stayed up one year to spy on my parents and confirm, but I never told them I didn’t believe. I guess I thought it was my duty not to spoil it for anyone else, and I had a younger brother.
wonderful pea / 17279 posts
I was 11 and clearly late as evidenced by my 6th grade teacher emphatically bursting my bubble.
blogger / apricot / 482 posts
I don’t remember how old I was, but it was early elementary school. I found out when I was reading Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.