When did you stop believing in Santa Claus? Or do you still believe? Did you tell your kids early in life so they were not being lied to or like my sons do they have to still (ages 22 & 26) believe if they want presents.
I stopped believing at about age 6. I received a doll that year with brown hair and brown eyes. I found her behind the couch. Obviously something was going on here. I was pretty smart so I knew it came from my parents.
I have no memory of thinking Santa was coming. No memory of being told I had to be good or he wouldn't come at all. Sadly some years there was barely anything there at all. I do remember my mother, alone by this time, waiting to see if we would get a Christmas hamper on Christmas Eve. Most years I believe we did. I don't remember getting toys other than the year I was in grade 2. We each got a gift, mine being a beauty shop, my brother got the game Lie Detector and my sister got the game Concentration I think. (she can correct me on that one)
Here we are with the game my sister got that year. I am the one in the background pretending to smoke a cigarette. We are so adorable.
So tell me when you stopped believing. Was it so traumatic that you are still not able to talk about it? Did you destroy every shred of trust between you and your children?
Oh I still believe in the spirit of SANTA! It is all in the giving and that is what santa meant to me. santa brought gifts to homes that could not afford otherwise. Santa is the grouchy neighbor who threw a smile your way. He is the doctor who stayed open a bit later just to squeeze you in. Or the child that created um... I don't know what it was but boyt hey sure worked hard at it... art projects. Santa to me is the spirit of what should be everyday.
ReplyDeleteTammy
Do you want the truth? Of course you do. I never believed in Santa Claus because I was told from a young age that it wasn't true. There were presents, but I usually unwrapped them alone. Now the good part: Our youngest granddaughter who is 5 still believes, and it is so much fun. Her big sisters have not said anything and they help her write to Santa. She was the local New Year's baby, and it is double excitement with her birthday celebrations. I wonder if this will be her last year to look for Santa in the sky before she goes to bed? I have always celebrated Christmas in a big way with my own family. It has completely made up for the lost years. Yes, you do look adorable with a cigarette.
ReplyDeleteXOLucy
Opening the door slowly - making sure its only people who won't laugh at me - whew look at the friendly faces.
ReplyDeleteI believed and I believed long and hard -- I think I was about 8 or 9 that my younger brother (by four years) started to question things and of course I had to be superior older sister. Next thing my parents said they would call Santa and tell him that we were questioning his existance. You could have knocked me over with a feather when this booming voice came over the phone - all HO HO HO and talked to my directly. Turns out it was our neighbour and my parents called him out of the blue - no warning and he played the part perfectly.
Like Tammy said Santa is just the magic of good people in our lives. I remember when my son questioned the existance I asked him if he wanted to believe - he said yes and went away a very happy 5 or 6 year old. Sue like your grandkids - he spent one Christmas keeping the magic alive for his two younger cousins - I still cherish that memory (see I have several good ones)
I guess I finally had it confirmed to me that Santa Clause was like a fairy tale when my grandfather dressed up like Santa (complete with a horrendous mask... that I will show soon on my blog) and I noticed that "Santa" had shoes like my grandfather's and also... "Santa" was an Aggie... a graduate of Texas A&M University... just like my grandfather! Gig'em Santa!! (Gig'em is a "saying" at Texas A&M)
ReplyDeleteBut for now... I too believe in the spirit of giving just as Santa Claus does. No fancy toys necessary, clothes are good. Even food is a good gift. Just GIVE! Time is THE best gift.
Karen
Ladybug Creek
I still believe in the magic of Santa...I do remember when I was about 10 my Aunt I guess assumed I knew...and told me where she hid my cousins gifts from santa...I never told anyone about it....just kept on believing....that Aunt didn't stay in the family long anyway.....maybe Santa saw to it...LOL
ReplyDeleteI was 8 when I figured out there was no Santa....As a kid we never had a BIG Christmas...it was more about our family getting together...I can only remember getting my Tiny Tears doll that I had wished for and how much I loved that baby doll...Many Blessings to you girl...Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria
ReplyDeleteI knew who bought the presents and put under the tree by the 6th grade when my older brother insisted on finding and showing me every single gift my parents had stashed in the attic that year. I am still mad about that! I do still believe in Santa and my grown kids as well or they do not get any gifts from him. We had a visit from Mr & Mrs Claus every year before Christmas (uncle and aunt) when nobody else in the neighborhood did and we always received at least one thing we asked for from Santa...so of course I never stopped believing. I encourage my children to keep believing in the spirit of love and giving that comes with the season.
ReplyDeleteI remember being OK with knowing there wasn't really an actual Santa (though I still sort of WANT to believe), but I was horrified when a boy at school told my younger brother. Our mother decided to put the gifts out on Christmas Eve that year (so everyone could sleep past 5am for a change). She was pulling gifts out from under the bed and I was pushing them back as fast as I could.
ReplyDeleteShe finally convinced me it was time to let it go (she'd always been bothered a little by "fibbing" to her children about it). Since then our family Christmas gathering always takes place on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day we rest (and eat wonderful leftovers).
Merry Christmas to my favorite Canadian!
Bill
I am devastated, what do you mean there is no Santa?
ReplyDeleteOh my.......
I really don't know when I knew. Maybe my parents didn't make a big deal of it. I do remember not telling other younger cousins about him.
Jen
Wow, I must have been the oldest kid still believing in Santa at the ripe old age of 11. I don't remember having anyone tell me anything, but I just knew it. I didn't say anything to the younger siblings- I was the oldest of 5. I must have been living under a rock out there in that little town in New Mexico. Geez, kids know it now by the first grade! No fun.
ReplyDeleteMr. S played Santa for the nieces and nephews a long time ago, and one of them recognized his shoes... She only told me about it this year. And here we thought we had her fooled! She was good enough not to have told her little brother, though.
lots of hugs to you, Lori- Sue
I don't remember when I stopped believing. I do remember feeling excited and waiting for him to come...that was a good feeling.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you all on? - Of course Santa exists..... I believe Santa, I believe!
ReplyDeleteI don't know when I finally figured out that there wasn't really a Santa that came secretly on Christmas Eve. I don't think my parents ever broke the bubble. It was probably kids at school that did. I don't really remember being traumatized by it. I do remember the very time that I stopped getting a special magical "Christmas feeling" on Christmas Eve day. I was about 12 or 13 and I remember the exact chair I was sitting in waiting for it to come upon me and it never did again! Sad!
ReplyDeleteWhat? What are you people talking about? Lalalllalaalalll I'm not listening.
ReplyDelete