The answer is no. We are not Santa. There is no one, single Santa. We are the people who fill your stocking and choose and wrap the presents under the tree-just as our parents did for us, their parents did for them, and you will do for your kids someday.
Santa is real in the sense that he was an actual person. Otherwise known as Saint Nicholas, his story goes all the way back to the 3rd century. He was a monk who was born in 280 A.D. in modern-day Turkey. As an only child, he was given great affection by his parents.
"It's not an overnight shift in thinking," says Laura Lamminen, Ph. D., a pediatric psychologist at Children's Health℠, "and there's no set age where children should know the truth about Santa Claus." Dr. Lamminen says each family and each child within that family will be ready to talk about Santa at different ages.
Although Santa Claus may not be real, the idea of him being a generous gift-giver stemmed from the highly celebrated monk, Saint Nick. Born around 280 A.D. in the region we now know as Turkey, Saint Nicholas was famous for his kindness.
While there is no perfect age to have this conversation, it is generally best to wait for your child to ask you first. Often, parents start noticing their children becoming skeptical around eight years old, but this can vary.
"There is no such thing as being too old to believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy," Kelman tells Yahoo Life. "Letting kids figure it out on their own is preferable to parents breaking the news to them.
Because the Elf on the Shelf “moves” each night, belief can sometimes be suspended into thinking that it is real. And for all intents and purposes, the Elf on the Shelf is real. It's a real doll, after all.
Explain that you actually bought those yourself and that Santa Claus is the idea of giving for the sake of giving, without thanks or acknowledgement. Tell them that now they know the truth, they're part of it, too, and can never tell a younger child the secret.
According to historical records, Saint Nicholas was a monk born in the third century in a village called Patara, now part of modern-day Turkey. He was known for his kindness and good deeds, and he eventually became to be known as the protector of children and sailors.
Preschoolers likely believe that Santa has a special mind, that he may know some things that most other adults don't know but not everything. So, young children typically believe that Santa exists, but in a more mundane form than adults let on.
Santa advises that no family member touch their Elf on the Shelf, but he does describe a few rare instances when an adult may use tongs or potholders to help an elf in an urgent situation. Parents: read on to learn about special, few and far between cases where emergency help will be required.
Some tweens hold onto their childhood beliefs for as long as they possibly can. The truth is that if your children are asking questions like "Is Santa real?", they probably already know the truth or have an idea about the reality of the tradition. They may just be looking for validation from you.
Simply explain to your child that the gifts are purchased and wrapped by mom and dad, and that you share in the magic of Christmas as a family by spreading joy. Let them know that the Santa they see in the store is someone paid to sit and give children the joy of believing in something magical.
Research shows that the vast majority of American parents promote a false belief in Santa Claus, and most small children accept that story as real. In fact, research shows that most parents work very hard to perpetuate the myth of Santa.
Some families may have Santa simply bring a stocking filled with treats to their child. Others may have Santa go all out and bring every single gift under the tree — including the big ones.
"Santa employs elves, but is not one himself. Elves are small; he is big. (But has enough magic about him to fit down chimneys despite his BMI of 30 and insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes caused by being sponsored for a century by Coca-Cola)."
Instead, the average age that children stop believing in Santa is eight years old, according to an international academic survey. Woah. This varies slightly between countries in the UK, with kids in England believing in Santa until they're 8.03 years, and kids in Scotland believing until 8.58 years.
A 2011 children's book about the origin story of Mrs. Claus dubbed her Annalina, while in Jeff Guinn's 2006 book, The Autobiography of Santa Claus, Santa refers to his wife as Layla.
Most Americans (67%) stopped expecting Santa to shimmy down their chimney by the time they entered seventh grade. Half (49%) of Americans say they stopped believing in Santa before the age of 10 – with a quarter (23%) reporting that they lost sight of him between the ages of seven (10%) and eight (13%).
While everyone is different, according to a recent poll by House Method, the average age kids in the United States stop believing in Santa Claus is 8.5 years. So, chances are good that somewhere around then is the right age for your child to learn the true story about Santa Claus.
While there are many benefits to protecting children's belief in Santa, it's not OK to lie to children about his existence. Most children have a positive reaction to their Santa discovery. Discovering the truth about Santa is part of growing up and a sign that the child is developing critical thinking skills.
Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition that sees parents moving an Elf on the Shelf (also known as a "Scout Elf") around the house every day to keep an eye on children ahead of Santa's visit.
Elves typically reach maturity around the same age as humans, however their lifespan is infinite. How old are Santa's elves? Santa's elves are a variety of ages from 25 – 2025.
Instead, he provides them with room and board and other perks. Even if he doesn't pay cash – he pays expenses – that's still considered compensation and it's taxable to the elves. Fortunately, it's also deductible to Santa. Santa has, according to the eight year old, 500 elves.