# Does Santa Claus Exist



## Conshine (21 Nov 2007)

A friend was confronted by her 10 year old and questioned on the existence of Santa.
She admitted to the kid that he does not exist.
The kid burst into tears and stormed off and wont talk to her folks, not through disappointment that she had just found out that Santa was not real, but because her parents had lied to her throughout her lifetime.
How do others play this one?
I have a 2 year old that will start finding out about the bearded one very soon.

(any under 21's reading this - He does actually exist, the parents above were just kidding)


----------



## truthseeker (21 Nov 2007)

i was gutted when I found out - not because he didnt exist, but because my parents had lied to me for so long. I didnt find out from them, I found out from a cousin, and then I had to pretend to believe rather than let them know cos they thought I still believed so we ALL ended up lying to each other!!!


----------



## amgd28 (21 Nov 2007)

Hence your choice of username then


----------



## gillarosa (21 Nov 2007)

Personally I think the initial answer to that question from the age of 8, 9 or 10 would be he exists for anyone who believes, which is not a lie. Kids that age are constantly discussing it amongst themselves and can come to the conclusion themselves eventually, so when they finally decide 'no' they are really just looking for clarification from the parent.  Its all about how the many, many, many conversations on the subject are handled. You are just starting an amazing time with your child, enjoy the ride, the Santa thing is a big kick for parents almost as much as kids.


----------



## pc7 (21 Nov 2007)

are we sure no kiddies look here, they are all so money savy now


----------



## Conshine (21 Nov 2007)

What about the times your parents told you that you have to be good, eat all your dinner etc, etc, etc otherwise he will not come on xmas eve.

Wife doesnt want to lie to the youngster, I thought it was a good thing, an idol for the kids etc.. that was until I heard about my friends child. Now am not so sure.


----------



## pc7 (21 Nov 2007)

Well I've lovely memories of tip toeing downstairs quietly incase santa was still there and the excitment of it all. They'll get over the disappointment once they still get pressies, let kids be kids and enjoy the 8-10 years they have of santa.  I'm 30 and still believe


----------



## Caveat (21 Nov 2007)

I think that as soon as they start asking questions and getting suspicious, kids should be told.  To plead or argue with them at that stage could be later seen as compounding the deception.


----------



## funnymunny (21 Nov 2007)

Oh Lord, what sort of precocious ten year old won't talk to her parents because they lied to her for the first ten years of her life about Santa?  For goodness sake, I can't believe you are even taking this seriously.  No doubt she will have to go for therapy for the mental suffering her parents have caused her.  Do you think it would be better for your two year old to never believe in the magic?


----------



## z105 (21 Nov 2007)

He definitely exists, he is in Clerys every year sure


----------



## jhegarty (21 Nov 2007)

If anyone wants to lie to me while giving me presents I'll pm you my address


----------



## huskerdu (21 Nov 2007)

you have heard of one child who took the truth badly, but what about the thousands who enjoyed the magic. Also, finding out
 the truth and  being trusted by your parents to keep the secret for your younger siblings is part of growing up.

I do know some parents who told their kids from an early age, and had years of kids getting involved in rows with their friends about it, and in one case having to deal with an irate parent who was livid that their 5 year old was told in the schoolyard. 

Obviously, if this is important to you, you have to go with your principles. I am just pointing out that you will have to live with the decision for years, so be clear that you really want to do this.


----------



## FredBloggs (21 Nov 2007)

I definitely agree that Santa should be a big part of Christmas for children - most children guess at the truth long before they know it for a fact and are a little bit disapointed when its finally confirmed to them that there's no toy factory at the North Pole churning out the well known brand names that they see on tv ad's in the lead up to Xmas. (Funny how children never question the elves ability to replicate brand names)

Gillarosa's advice is well worth taking with how to approach 8-10 yr old who question things.  You're answering with the truth but leaving the child space to still believe if they so wish.

Last year a very odd mother of one of the girls in my daughters class blurted out to her during a row just before Xmas "And you needn't think Santa'll be bringing you any presents either because he doesn't exist"

The girl came into class and told all her classmates who in turn went home and asked their parents.  These girls were all 9-10 and their parents, like me, were hoping to get at least another year out of Santa - and we certainly weren't going to tell them in mid December.  After several frantic phone calls between parents and the succesful lynching of the girl's mother the girls were told that Santa exists for those who believe in him.  This was backed up by the teacher who was made aware of what happened.  All the girls were happy with this and Santa duly arrived on Christmas morning


----------



## jambr (21 Nov 2007)

Yes of course he exists and if a parent cannot continue to keep the tradition going it is very sad. Santa has been coming to my house for 29 years now and will still come until I am gone. My kids (4 0f them) love it from the 29 and 26 year old who always come home to stay christmas eve down to the 12 year old who has the best imagination of any child I have ever known. When my kids have asked in the past I have said of course he is real..and if you dont believe he mightnt come. So they never asked again. Christmas is magic


----------



## noname (21 Nov 2007)

*birds & bees*

a father sat down beside his 14 year old son and said...

"son its about time we had a chat about the birds & the bees"

the Son burst into tears crying "I don't want to hear it"

the father replied "son, it is just natuarl & part of life, it's nothing to be embarrased about"

the son (still sobbing) "listen Dad, when I was 5 you told me the Tooth Fairy isn't real, when I was 7 you told me the Easter Bunny was Made up, then when I was 11 you told me Santa was fake.......... & now your going to tell me that i S*x is a lie too, what do I have to live for?"


----------



## Sue Ellen (21 Nov 2007)

Conshine said:


> She admitted to the kid that he does not exist.
> 
> (any under 21's reading this - He does actually exist, the parents above were just kidding)


 
I'm traumatised. No one told me. Just as well still under 21 so all is not lost


----------



## jazzhead (22 Nov 2007)

parents do not lie to their kids about santa, kids need and want to believe!


----------



## TreeTiger (22 Nov 2007)

Welll, you could tell the poor child that he used to exist but now:
http://www.mrail.net/data/interests/photographs/santa/santa.htm

Seriously I think your friend did ok getting to 10 with her kid, I was about 7 when a "friend" decided to enlighten me


----------



## ci1 (22 Nov 2007)

My friend told me when I was just 7 that there was no Santa.  I wanted a white locker from Santa and she told me she seen the Roches van delivering it when I was at school...Aswell as me being traumatised so was my Mother when I told her!

My 10 year old nephew worked it out for himself and I think thats a better way to let them find out.  He said that he knows Santa is not real because there is no way a fat man can get down a chimney!  

I still believe in him though, I love Xmas Eve and Xmas morning and I'm 32...


----------



## elefantfresh (22 Nov 2007)

He came to me til i left home because i had a younger sister and how could he leave her presents and leave me nothing. 
That worked out well.


----------



## foxylady (22 Nov 2007)

ci1 said:


> My friend told me when I was just 7 that there was no Santa. I wanted a white locker from Santa and she told me she seen the Roches van delivering it when I was at school...Aswell as me being traumatised so was my Mother when I told her!


 

Strange present for a kid


----------



## Thrifty (22 Nov 2007)

I though my god-child was a little weird when all she wanted for Christmas when she was six was a toy ironing board and iron!!
Perhaps the problem with the Santa exists is that children are getting far too adult at an earlier age. Its been a slippery sliddy slope for years. i think what really enforced this for me was when they started selling seeing bra tops for seven year olds. But this combined with TV soaps/ certain films i think maybe makes children (some adults and teenagers too) see everything as being a little bit more dramatic nowaday - bit blown out of proportion. instead of Santa now existing its become - my parents have lied to me for my whole life. Sounds much more dramatic and a satisfying sob story if you ever want to appear on x factor.


----------



## ci1 (22 Nov 2007)

I wanted a white locker trimmed in pink with a press and drawer to put beside my bed to put my stuff in away from my baby sister.

Why is that strange????


----------



## truthseeker (22 Nov 2007)

ci1 said:


> I wanted a white locker trimmed in pink with a press and drawer to put beside my bed to put my stuff in away from my baby sister.
> 
> Why is that strange????


 
its not strange at all - i wanted a hoover and pair of glasses one year so i could be like my mammy


----------



## Thrifty (22 Nov 2007)

No i'm sorry but the glasses and hoover are strange. Have you had counselling since.


----------



## ClubMan (22 Nov 2007)

Thrifty said:


> I though my god-child was a little weird when all she wanted for Christmas when she was six was a toy ironing board and iron!!


Perfectly normal!


----------



## truthseeker (22 Nov 2007)

Thrifty said:


> No i'm sorry but the glasses and hoover are strange. Have you had counselling since.


 
no I just developed a strange aversion to doing the hoovering as I got older.


----------



## The_Banker (22 Nov 2007)

My nephew is 10 next Tuesday and I was shocked recently when he pointed out a house to me and ask where was the chimney for Santa to climb down. 
Now this kid would buy and sell you. He buys stuff on ebay and is pretty street savvy for a 10 year old so I guess I just assumed that he was aware of the non existance.

I also have a friend who is married now and in her 30s and she believed in Mr Claus until she was 14. Some kids today aren't even virgins at that age!


----------



## huskerdu (22 Nov 2007)

At a certain age, kids decide to keep believing. I know loads of kids that   happily believe in Santa, when they are definitely old enough to have worked out from the evidence in front of their eyes that its a fabrication. 

Long may childhood last.


----------



## paddi22 (22 Nov 2007)

I wanted the My little Pony stables when i was little and was gutted when Santa delivered the My Little Pont Nursery instead. What was worse was all my excited christmas beliefs dying when i realised that 'Santa's' handwriting was the same as my mum's. Worst christmas ever - wrong present and then finding out my mum was scamming me


----------



## ci1 (22 Nov 2007)

I have a friend who's son of 11 still believing in Santa. 

It turns out he didn't really believe but let on to because he was afraid he wouldn't get any presents if he didn't believe...

innocence at its best


----------



## Paulone (22 Nov 2007)

I'll have an interesting dilemma in a few years time - my son is Irish/Spanish and they don't do presents on Xmas Day there - they wait for the Three-kings on the 6th Jan. Santa exists alright, but he's called St. Nicholas, doesn't wear red and has no sack - god forbid he'd come down a chimney.

The three kings look like Ali-baba, ride camels and magically pass by each house in the early hours of 6th when the gifts appear. worryingly, there is also a mini-christmas in mid-December when a substantial enough Xmas present appears for the child - a direct present from the parents.

Problem lies in the fact that we want to do time about for Xmas - one year here the other there.

The poor child could be very confused cos he has one set of cousins who'll be banging on about Santa, and the other lot who'll be waiting till the new year before they get their lot - calmed by substantial parental gift beforehand. He might also get smart, decide they all exist and end up with three sets of Xmas presents...  I'm feeling financially challenged already.

Any hints from those with experience on bridging the cultural divide?


----------



## AlastairSC (22 Nov 2007)

I wonder what the mind of a modern child, used to (over)hearing on radio and TV of child sex abusers, makes of the idea of a strange man, interested in children, who will get into their house/bedroom in the night and offer them toys


----------



## miselemeas (22 Nov 2007)

All this talk of Santa Claus reminds me of the lovely "Dear Virginia" story - http://www.stormfax.com/virginia.htm


----------



## huskerdu (24 Nov 2007)

Paulone said:


> I'll have an interesting dilemma in a few years time - my son is Irish/Spanish and they don't do presents on Xmas Day there - they wait for the Three-kings on the 6th Jan. Santa exists alright, but he's called St. Nicholas, doesn't wear red and has no sack - god forbid he'd come down a chimney.
> 
> The three kings look like Ali-baba, ride camels and magically pass by each house in the early hours of 6th when the gifts appear. worryingly, there is also a mini-christmas in mid-December when a substantial enough Xmas present appears for the child - a direct present from the parents.
> 
> ...


 
I think he is going to believe that all exist. Maybe you need to explain that Santa is a little different in different countries, but that its all really the same Santa. Santa knows where you will be at Christmas and decides  when to give him his present based on local custom. I reckon that once he is getting presents, he'll accept the explanation.


----------



## RainyDay (24 Nov 2007)

What happens when the kids start asking about God?


----------



## purplealien (24 Nov 2007)

RainyDay said:


> What happens when the kids start asking about God?


Exactly - when i found out about Santa - that's when i started questioning if God really existed!!


----------



## Guest127 (24 Nov 2007)

I thought the Marx brothers said there was no sanity clause 

and re the two above posts. My daughter teaches in primary school. senior infants. very mixed class - last year something like 14  out of the 28 were not Irish. and a good few non Catholic. and  at least  one of these 'informed' the class that their parents said that Santa Clause didn't exist. which she thought was a pity as it sowed the seeds of doubt at a very young age in children who totally believed in Santa.


----------



## ailbhe (26 Nov 2007)

Paulone said:


> I'll have an interesting dilemma in a few years time - my son is Irish/Spanish and they don't do presents on Xmas Day there - they wait for the Three-kings on the 6th Jan. Santa exists alright, but he's called St. Nicholas, doesn't wear red and has no sack - god forbid he'd come down a chimney.
> 
> The three kings look like Ali-baba, ride camels and magically pass by each house in the early hours of 6th when the gifts appear. worryingly, there is also a mini-christmas in mid-December when a substantial enough Xmas present appears for the child - a direct present from the parents.
> 
> ...


 

I would just say that Santa comes to kids in different countries on different days (I mean, how could he possibly get around ALL the countries in one night!) Refer to one asw Irish Christmas and one as Spanish Christmas.


----------

