I was 5 when I realizied Santa wrote exactly like my Mom.

[irisblue]

How old were you when you realized that Santa was not real?

[Tetrachloride]

1. pre-historic times. 3-5 ?

[Lonestarblue]

2. I had older siblings so I was pretty young.

I have always been troubled by the pretense to young children of a Santa or a tooth fairy. It seems to me that parents are lying to their children when they pretend that something that does not exist is real. Doesn’t this somewhat erode trust in the truth of what parents say?

[Elessar Zappa]

13. I don't agree.

I’ve never heard of a kid being traumatized. They just gradually learn the truth. It’s all in fun and makes for a magical childhood.

[MaryMagdaline]

3. I was told in second grade. Age 7 I think

My older sister told me.

[Shambala]

4. What!?

Santa's not real!?

[irisblue]

5. .

[milestogo]

6. My mom snuck around with Santa.

On Christmas Eve my Dad would take us out to a restaurant for hot chocolate. While we were gone Santa stopped by with a bunch of presents. Good thing mom was home to let him in. Eventually we figured out that it was all mom, no Santa. I guess they stopped seeing each other.

[rsdsharp]

7. I was walking home from first grade the first day back after Christmas vacation.

I was a block from home when a slightly older kid I had never seen before, walking in the opposite direction, CROSSED THE STREET, walked up to me and said, “I’m not supposed to say anything, but I have to tell someone: There’s no Santa Claus.”

I never saw him again. If I could find that guy I’d punch his lights out. It’s been nearly 65 years, and I’m still pissed about the gratuitous cruelty. It reminds me of Trump telling a 7 year old, “You’re too old to believe in Santa, aren’t ya?”

[Skittles]

8. I was never told that stuff

nope

[Luciferous]

9. First grade I figured it out. My mom

admitted I was right but told me I had to play along for my brother and cousins.

[10 Turtle Day]

10. First or second grade

My older siblings told me and showed me where the presents were hidden- in a camping trailer we had parked outside in the driveway.

[bif]

11. I was probably 10 or 11.

I was snooping around my parents bedroom when I discovered a bunch of toys in their closet. I was totally dumbfounded. I seriously would probably have believed in him for at least another year or two.

[Elessar Zappa]

12. Kinda late.

I believed until I was 9, although I begun to suspect it when I was 8 and saw that my toys were made in Taiwan lol.

[Iggo]

14. Probably about that age.

Wasn’t too long after that when I started questioning fables about another guy who sees you when you’re sleeping and knows when you’re awake and knows if you’ve been bad or good.

[BlueSpot]

15. Was anybody else like..

I'm not sure I really buy this but it's working. Why mess up a good thing? Make a list for Santa? Ya, I'll give you a list. No problem.

[Retrograde]

16. We put out the obligatory milk and cookies for Santa

My father said we should also put out something for the reindeer, like carrots and turnips. One year I realized that my father was the only person I knew who liked to snack on raw turnips. Hmmmm.....

I knew something was off because Santa always left a bag by the back door instead of coming down the chimney, which was fine, because the chimney led right into the furnace.

[UTUSN]

17. Hah!

[catbyte]

18. When I was a kid, we always spent Christmas Eve at my mom's folks' house.

Nana and I would set out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer by the fireplace. When I was 7 or 8, I woke up late at night and came downstairs to catch Nana eating the cookies and drinking the milk. I always suspected something was up, but the cat was really out of the bag. I got a sharp, startled, "Get to bed!" My suspicions were confirmed.

[mvd]

19. I think I was 6

At first I found the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny too improbable to exist. Then by a process of elimination I did the same with Santa.