Santa....what do/did you tell your children?

sulkisu

Just wondering if everybody does the 'presents from Santa' thing, or is there anyone willing to admit to telling their children the truth from the get go, i.e. 'mummy/daddy bought them' or even 'there is no Santa'?
At what age did you go from the fairy tale to the truth?

teabag29

sulkisu wrote: »

Just wondering if everybody does the 'presents from Santa' thing, or is there anyone willing to admit to telling their children the truth from the get go, i.e. 'mummy/daddy bought them' or even 'there is no Santa'?
At what age did you go from the fairy tale to the truth?

What do you mean there is no Santa? :eek:

Tenyearstogo

In our house Santa leaves the stocking, main presents are from parents. However Santa tells us if he thinks the children have been good enough to receive the presents we have bought.

DS1 is 15 and worked it all out by seven. Ds2 is 8 and still believes in everything like that.

Bennifred

I have never told my children that there is no Father Christmas. They are 26, 23 and 20. :rotfl:

Spendless

Son worked it out for himself which to me was around the age of 7 or 8. However as he got older he said he recalls being very young and thinking how unlikely it all was. This ties in with him being 2 or 3 and telling me that reindeer can't fly as he'd watched a programme on Discovery Kids and learnt that in order to fly animals need wings.

DD at 10 in yr 6 goes along with the idea it's real because she'd like to live in a land full of fairies and fairytale princesses etc, but really she knows the truth- she has an older brother!

ciderwithrosie_2

Yep, Father Christmas only ever brought the stocking presents. Big presents were definitely from us and other relatives. It's only fair and sensible really as...

The child learns to thank people who have spent their money and time getting them a gift

If the much long for gift is out of stock before Christmas, how do you explain this to a child if Father Christmas is supposedly supplying it - he can't run out, he's magic. Or do you tell them they weren't good enough? This is hardly good parenting to deceive them so.

Also, they were never allowed to get up before 8am on Christmas morning, especially as we probably wouldn't have gone to bed ourselves til the early hours and nothing worse than overtired, fractious children - makes for a very long day!

Mojisola

ciderwithrosie wrote: »

Yep, Father Christmas only ever brought the stocking presents. Big presents were definitely from us and other relatives. It's only fair and sensible really as...

The child learns to thank people who have spent their money and time getting them a gift

If the much long for gift is out of stock before Christmas, how do you explain this to a child if Father Christmas is supposedly supplying it - he can't run out, he's magic. Or do you tell them they weren't good enough?

And how do you explain that Father Christmas always brings rich kids much better presents? Most kids can see how unfair that is from quite a young age.

Janepig

Oh dear I hope this thread doesn't go the way of others on this sort of topic have in the past!!

Anyway, mine have always believed that Father Christmas brings the presents, other than those given by relatives in person on the day, much the same as I believed as a child. However, they know that we pay for the gifts so they're aware they can't just ask for stuff that we can't afford in the belief that Father Christmas will bring it anyway. DD is 10 now and in year 6 and she hasn't said yet that she doesn't believe although I'm sure she must realise now. My guess is that she's worried that if she says she doesn't believe any more then there'll be no presents any more. I think she thinks that presents stop when you stop believing.

Jx

Spendless

Mine were told that we and other family members paid for the present. They were then ordered and delivered from FC. I don't think I personally have ever met a child who was told there was no FC from an adult, they were either put right by another child or worked it out themselves.

sulkisu

Janepig wrote: »

Oh dear I hope this thread doesn't go the way of others on this sort of topic have in the past!!

Jx

I must have missed those!

Hopefully we can discuss a light hearted topic without someone feeling the need to go for the jugular .

My oldest is nearly 3, so time for me to get my 'story' straight I suppose. My neighbour said that she has never told her children about Santa, apart from the fact that he's a made-up person, and I was curious to see how unusual this is.

WantToBeSE

Santa only ever bought the stocking, the rest were from us.
This year is the first that BOTH children know there is no Santa My 13 year old knew since he was 10 and then last week my 9 year old asked.
I always swore that if they asked, i'd tell them the truth. So i told him about the story of St.Nicolas and how parent carried on the tradition etc.

Can't help but feel the magic has been lost now.