Poll: When did you stop believing in Santa Claus?

I think when I was old enough to know what Santa Claus was, I didn't believe in him. But considering I was raised Jewish, my exposure to things like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny came through the bias of parents who didn't encourage us to believe in them, so it's not exactly surprising.

I think I believed in the tooth fairy for while, though.

On the other hand, what defines existence? If Santa Claus exists in the minds of millions of kids all over the world, doesn't that make him 'exist', at least in the sense of any fictional character existing? If no one believed in Santa Claus, no one would talk about Santa Claus, and he would truly cease to exist...

I was confused, I thought I hadn't submitted this poll yet, I was going to tonight. Then I realized that I didn't submit it. In fact my choice is not even listed; "I never believed in Santa Claus." I'm sure I'm not the only one. It is a lot harder for a Jew to believe in Santa. I can remember when I was very young we'd go to my parents' friends' house and when they'd give us our Christmas presents say, "Santa left your presents here because you are Jewish." This wasn't mean or anti-semitic, it was said with a wink and nudge and can't remember not knowing it was a joke.

As a counterpoint when the son of these friends grew up as a favor my father would come over when they visited their grandparents and dress as Santa and give them their presents.

Is it any wonder that I celebrate Festivus?

both of the people who have posted so far have my same "other."

never believed that santa claus existed, was never told he did, am jewish.

While I didn't really believe at that point, when I was ten (my brother eight and my sister four), my parents managed to first break the rule we had established that only Santa fills the stockings, by letting my brother and I know something that my sister was getting and putting it in there. Then, that summer, inisiting that Santa bought a present that they'd forgotten about and had to go bring out of its hiding place Christmas morning.

The thing is, I don't remember there being a line when I did or did not believe. I remeber having the belief, and I remember not having it, but there's no sudden moment (or even moments) of revelation *shrug*

My father told me there was no Santa when I was 2. My mother was very upset, but I was not.

I believe in Dave!

because even after we figured it out we still kept up the Santa pretense, because it's fun.

yeah... I kept it up for a couple/few years just to "humor" my parents.
heh

I felt REALLY bad the last year... cuz... I didn't believe.. and I knew it was all fake... but I wanted to play along because my mom seemed so into it.

Must be how kids feel when they discover that religion is crap. :)

heh, when my sister and i started eltting on that we knew my mom said, "well, if there's no Santa, then I guess he can't leave you presents, can he?" with a wink and a nudge.

as for the religion thing, maybe. i dunno. that came in more bits and pieces than as a sudden revelation. years and years of having an issue with this or that.

though, i did keep up the pretense of going to church for a LONG time. "sure mom, i went to mass"

Must be how kids feel when they discover that religion is crap. :)

*can attest to that*

We still keep it up. (well, I can't report on last year, as I was up here, but as of 2003) My brother and I are both grown and out of the house, and my sister is at the end of high school, but we still leave out carrots and cookies, and still get gifts labeled "from Santa".

I'm not sure if this is the cause or result of it, but I really do love the secular mythology of contemporary Christmas. (and could that sound more over-the-top if I tried?)

Oh, I definitely still get gifts labeled "from Santa" - it's funny how much Santa's handwriting resembles my mom's. And my parents do still put the presents under the tree after the kids are asleep on Christmas Eve. We were never into the leaving out cookies thing, though.

yeah, same here....

well, not the presents... those are under there way before.... but.... my mom still waits until everyone is "asleep" before she fills the stockings. :)

Tangentally...who else here did St. Nick's Day in their family? It's December 6th and THAT is when we got our stockings filled. No stockings on Christmas. Most people I told growing up thought I was nuts, but I think it's because my family is from Wisconsin...heavily german and polish, as are we...and it's done more in that area. Definitely a Catholic thing, too.

But I used to lord it over my classmates that I had stocking gifts way earlier than they did. :)

I was 10 when I officially stopped believing in Santa, but I definitely had my suspicions at age 7 when "Santa" got me a bike helmet that was too small and my parents said that he had left the reciept for me just in case the helmet didn't fit. ;oP

BTW, my first poll ever! Yay! (Sorry I forgot the "No Santa for me" option. Mostly 'cause I was caught in the moment.) :oD

"No Santa for me"
That made me think of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld. In this case I guess it would be the Santa Nazi :-)

Has anyone else ever juxtaposed Santa and Nazi?

well my dad used to refer to santa as the yetzer hora (evil inclination, the little devil that sits on your one shoulder). um, but that's not really like a nazi. except for the evil.

Shouldn't there be a choice on this poll for people who never believed in Santa Claus? (such as those of us who moved here from a country that didn't do Santa Claus)

One more for never believed, am jewish.

I'm Jewish, and like every other Jewish person, I believe in Hannukah Harry!

My mom found a stuffed Santa in a blue and white suit a few years back, and dubbed him Chanukah Charlie. Anyways, she's a teacher and was telling one of her friends about this in the teacher's lounge. Later that day, one of the younger teachers goes off and winds up tells her elementary school class all about the Jewish tradition of Chanukah Charlie ;-)

Just remember that the CH in Charlie is the gutteral the like the CH in Chanukah. Just say Harley while clearing your throat.

yeah cause like, that works if you use the CH. that's wack, son. i'm down with harry, cause english speaking homeboys don't acknowledge the existence of the gutteral 'ch' sound. if there were some spanish jews that i was aware of, i'm sure THEIR friends would ask them who Channukah Charlie is. but for my dawgs up in this piece, we chill with Harry. WORD. and uhh, yeah, just WORD.

I'm down for starting a Kwanzaa Karl rumor. let's do it up!

lets not forget Ramadan Ralph

or, uhh, however it's all spelled 'n sheeit.