When should kid know santa is not real?

what?! are you saying... you mean... santa is not real? hehehe seriously now, i think this depends a lot on the maturity level of the kid. as some mature faster than others i can't really give a definite age. i think a delicate balance should be maintained for this task. i'm afraid if you tell a kid too early that santa is not real, it might rob him/her of the experience that most kids got to enjoy. on the other hand, if you tell a kid too late... well, i'm sure they're going to find out one way or the other. its just a lot better if they learn it from their parents who can properly provide the appropriate explanation.