How old should children stop believing in Santa Claus?
By cyclopz
@cyclopz (251)
Sydney, Australia
December 11, 2010 2:56am CST
When we were still young our parents used to make us believe that Santa really exists and that we should be good so that we would have presents for Christmas. Most of us grow up and just eventually figure things out by ourselves that Santa really does not exist and that its our parents who play the role of Santa giving presents every Christmas eve.
But i realized that some children still believe in Santa Claus even at their mature age and sometimes it does not feel good popping their bubble by telling them that Santa really does not exist.
Has anyone had this same problem too?
How old do you thing should children stop believing in Santa Claus?
3 people like this
12 responses
@oldchem1 (8132)
•
11 Dec 10
NEVER!!!
I will be 60 in just over a week and I still believe in Santa and the magic of Christmas.
I have 5 children (aged between 39 and 14) and 10 grandchildren (aged between 14 and 2 months) and never ONCE have one of those children said that there is no Santa!
I am a Christian and know full well the true meaning of Christmas, all my children and grandchildren have grown up celebrating the birth of Christ, but we have also all celebrated the magic that the presence of 'Santa' brings; 'he'is the magic in the faces of little children, he is something bring pleasure to many peoples lives - long may he live in all our hearts - there's room in my heart for Jesus and Santa!!
1 person likes this
@Ramsesxlll (1431)
• Finland
11 Dec 10
That's exactly what I'm talking about!!!
Good christmas mood!
I am christian too
Good christmas mood!
I am christian too1 person likes this
@oldchem1 (8132)
•
11 Dec 10
It is so nice to met someone who isn't so cynical about life and want everything in black and white.
I always quote the letter that The Sun newspaper sent to the little girl who wrote to them in 1897:
[i]"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
http://www.newseum.org/yesvirginia/
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.[/i]
@munshey4646905 (28)
•
11 Dec 10
As Long as the children are children well i think they should always believe in Santa clause cause these kind of things keep fun in their life and keep them happy.
1 person likes this
@Ramsesxlll (1431)
• Finland
11 Dec 10
That's true, even though it is not only for children, but for adults too!
Merry Christmas everyone (in advance)!!!
Merry Christmas everyone (in advance)!!!
@Youreyes4Today (2356)
• United States
12 Dec 10
First off you have to realize there is a Santa Claus, but you have to see how I believe in this. Santa Claus is another name for the Spirit of Christmas.
I taught my children that the spirit of Christmas lives in each of us. The light of the season is given by all people. We as parents bring that to our children so when they grow up they will be able to teach there children that giving of the heart is a special time for everyone. Brings the light of hope.
@Youreyes4Today (2356)
• United States
12 Dec 10
That is how my Grandmother taught us after my mother told us there isn't a Santa Claus, her mother disagreed with her.
I believe as my Grandmother did and I have tried to pass this onto my children and hopefully to my Grand-children..
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
11 Dec 10
I think a lot of children don't get the chance to stop believing in Santa Claus. there alays seems to be someone who can't wait to spread the disillusion to you.
@safirpurim (252)
• United States
11 Dec 10
yes the "belief" in santa claus is an illusion because he is not real. how sad that people not only accept the lie, but then lie to even little children who are innocent. thus causing even little children to be liars. how sad!
@Wefight (328)
•
11 Dec 10
Lol my brother is 7 years old this year so maybe he will stop believing next year? well he already has his doubts lol.But i stopped believing when i was 11 years old lol that is pretty old but then again my mum and dad done a good job in keeping it real for me.Lets hope my brother believes for that age.
@MsPatriciaDV (636)
• Philippines
11 Dec 10
I think I never believed in Santa Claus even when I was younger since my parents raised me to the thinking that Santa is not true and the gifts given by the so-called Santa Clause is from the parents themselves.
@MsPatriciaDV (636)
• Philippines
11 Dec 10
It's not sad, and being raised in the said set up is not sad at all. Actually, Christmas is happier sans Santa Claus. I never became upset of receiving gifts. And Santa Claus is not the fun factor in Christmas.
@oldchem1 (8132)
•
11 Dec 10
Oh I do think he is - to see the look of wonder on achild's face is magic.
The sound of my first child on Christmas morning (aged 20 months) when she saw her stocking on her bed and we hear her from her room gasp in amazement and wonder 'Oh he's been' THEY are the fun and magic factor's of Christmas!
And believe me, if you HAD been raised believing in him, you'd know exactly what I mean"!
@madteaparty (2748)
• Japan
11 Dec 10
I have never believed in Santa Claus, but that's because I'm originally from a country where we didn't have that tradition.
I think it's nice to add some fantasy to kids' lifes, with white lies like Santa Claus or the Tooth fairy, but eventually they will end up finding out that it's just some lie parents make up to give them presents in a more magical and exciting way. I don't think there's an exact age to stop believing in that, just when the time is supposed to come, it will.
@bautistaanna04 (306)
• Philippines
11 Dec 10
i didn't grow up believing in santa. my parents told us when we're young that the santa others know are just the parent putting presents on socks when the kids are asleep.
i think it's better to tell kids as early as today that santa that enters your chimneys to leave presents is just fictional, he doesn't exist.
@Wefight (328)
•
11 Dec 10
Well i would say that children start thinking that santa is not real at the age of 7-9 because they start getting told by older children and also by there friends.They can also hear the mum and dad bringing the presents down stairs i know my brother still believes in him just so that he can get more presents or thats what he thinks.I doubt whether he actually does get any more presents.
@dellyyz (4)
• Bulgaria
11 Dec 10
Well, I think that in the past (80's and 90's) children believed more in Santa Claus.
Now in our days more and more children don't believe at Santa Claus at all. They just tell their mom what they want for Christmas and they receive it. By the way I stop believing in Santa in the age of 9 or 10. By that age I knew that there is one old man who always comes on Christmas and always brings me a present :) .
@tendollar28 (25)
• Philippines
12 Dec 10
i just thought that they were stop believing in santa when they are teenager.same as mine..when i was at teen, i stop believing that santa is true. when your at teen stage, your mind get mature and can able to modify those.
