SANTA CLAUS ~ at what age....you know

[SandraC]

My dd is 8.5 years old, she's 9 in Dec. Because she's a Dec kid, she's the youngest in her class. Sometimes, that means she's a little behind the trend ~ many of her peers are tossing out their Barbie's in exchange for CD's and pre-teen stuff. We are starting to chat about Xmas and I asked her to get a list ready for Santa. She didn't say anything, so I think I might get one more year with Santa. However, I think when school starts, I might get the Santa question because of the other kids. My heart is braking about this one. I have a 2 year old ds too. What age were your kids when, you know? How did you approach it? Who squealed? What about younger sibs? S

 

[browneyes]

My dd didn't believe until she got in the 1st grade, she knew the truth until then. She's backwards. My ds doesn't say anything about SC.

I can't remember how old I was. I think I was like 7 or so. I remember when I found out though. About broke my heart. Found out swell sloop about SC AND the EB. Brothers are so nice to have.

BTW, I'm a December baby, too and I was one of the oldest in my class because I had to wait a year (cut off date was Nov 1).

 

[SandraC]

Our school cut of is Dec 31. S

 

[browneyes]

My kids cut off date is Sept 1. I wish I could've started a year early. My SIL is 2 months exactly older than I am and she gets a kick out of calling me a kid because she graduated a year before me.

Have you thought about sitting her down and telling her yourself so she won't hear it from others? Or do you want her to believe as long as possible?

 

[EROS]

SANDRA, this thread has me worried .

I have it on GOOD AUTHORITY that there are a number of DISers who still BELIEVE in Mr. Claus . People are a little backward here,..............but many(not all) have a good heart ..........

 

[Princess Michelle]

My parents chose to take credit for the gifts that they gave me so we never had to worry about it in my house.

 

[disykat]

I sat my 9 year old down last week to have a discussion. He kept bringing it up when his 7 year old brother was there so I wanted to answer his questions without telling them both. I think he'll keep the secret - so far so good. Santa only stuffs the stockings here so it's not that huge a deal.

Funny thing is the tooth fairy needed to pay a visit a couple of days ago and he was quite excited about it until he went to bed and lay there and thought for a while. He came out with questions and his only comment after we talked was "You know, it kind of takes some of the fun out of it."

 

[Lars624]

When my twins, DD & DS were in the 5th grade (going into 8th now) they came home from school one fall day & my DS was crying. He said at school some kids were saying there wasn't one & he argued with them so they were really mean made fun of him for believing. He begged me to tell him the truth so I sat them down & we discussed it. I thik I was more upset than they were. sniff..sniff... We talked about how fun it would be for them to keep it going for their little brother (now 6). We also talked about how Santa is a spirit and a feeling that we all need to believe in and I assured them nothing would change at Christmas. All of the gifts are still from Santa & appear under the tree on Christmas morning.

 

[Goofyposter]

I Still believe!

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

What are you saying??? I believe...so does my 8.5 year old DS, but I'm in the same boat you're in...don't know how much longer it will last once school starts. I may sit down and have a chat about things so that he understands that some kids don't believe and he may be teased if he reveals his (and Mom's) beliefs.

 

[SandraC]

I LOVE THIS ONE ~ I THINK I WILL USE IT WHEN THE TIME COMES:


Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
Editorial Page, New York Sun, 1897
Editor: Francis Pharcellus Church

We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:


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



Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the scepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except 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.

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 external 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 have men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you 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 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, 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 lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

 

[Jeff in BigD]

I had the same experience as Michelle. My folks wanted me to know the true meaning of the season & not focus on something imaginary, ditto with the Easter Bunny. It doesn't mean that we didn't enjoy seasonal shows with Santa or anything, but I knew pretty early on about it.

 

[DaveH]

There is no Santa?!!!!!!