Answer 116

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Question 116

How many atheists, while still children, figured out for themselves that Santa Claus does not exist, as opposed to being told by family, friends, etc.?

I found out when my parents inadvertently left a gift out where I could find it and later seeing that gift under the tree. I wasn't particularly shocked. My friends and I had kind of wondered about the incredible number of Santa's hanging out during the holidays and knew something was awry. (Geo #15)

Figured it out in grade school. I was in second grade when I deduced that Santa Claus wasn't real. Now how did I do it? Get this, it's a wonderful piece of what I call "kid-logic".

First of all you have to ignore how Santa puts all these toys and stuff in his sled, and how strangely it seems that the presents he brings are in the same kind of wrapping paper that you just happen to have in your place.

Now, Santa supposedly enters the house through the chimney right? Well, that's fine since we had a fireplace, but years before in our townhouse, there was no fireplace. There was an exhaust type thing that ran from the furnace, but no chimney. Then there were all those people in apartments. No chimneys there either.

Then there was the problem of him only showing up when people are asleep. Not everybody goes to sleep at the same time so how would he know when to show up?

Then how does he do all this in one night?

I couldn't work it out as a kid so I decided that Santa couldn't be real. Even the explanation of "magick" never worked for me, so I asked my Mum point blank whether or not he was real. She told me and I said very proudly, "I thought so!" and went to my room to play with my toys. (Blackguard #869)

For exactly the same reason that I never believed in God, I never believed in Santa either. It simply never occured to me to believe a story that was just *so* ridiculous. (Frank Wustner #119)

Me, but it was about the three kings (los reyes magos). I found my letter around february, mom didn't threw it to the dustbin. I asked her and she didn't lie. (Angel Arnal #1443)

I don't recall how old we were, but my brother and I worked it out when we were fairly young (early elementary school or possibly before). Our folks didn't invest a lot of energy trying to convince us otherwise, so it was hardly a traumatic event. Learning the truth did not diminish our enjoyment of the holiday one iota. (George Ricker #146)

I sussed out Santa for myself when I was 7ish, but kept quiet about it at home - no point in killing the golden goose. I told my parents I disbelieved in God quite a while before I told them I didn't believe in Santa, probably because I hated church but liked Christmas. (Rik #1589)

I remember questioning it until my older sister wisely pointed out that "Santa" brought the best presents. I've noticed that christmas morning has never been quite so good as when Santa left the big unwrapped gift...the bike...the pets....the guitar and drum set.....

I learned to keep my mouth shut until my parents decided to tell me. They looked a little surprised that I wasn't more shocked. (ClayeSkye #4)

To the best of my recollection, I was about 5 when one or both of the Catholic twins next door told me. The curious thing is that these are the same two who told me I couldn't get into heaven if I wasn't named for a saint. (What do you do, fake the saint's I.D.?) Told me about Jesus, too, but I can't recall what they said. I don't think it made a lot of sense to me at the time. But then, neither did Santa coming down a chimney through our fake fireplace. J.H.H.H.F.Christ, that was about 45 years ago.

I suppose if I'd thought about it, I would have known that Santa got all his loot from my father's toy store. Very suspicious. (Jeff/addesign #1063)

My views on Santa Claus have changed over the years, but I've never believed "the story" of what he does on Christmas Eve. This wasn't because I was a really smart kid, it was because my mother was a born- again fundamentalist who thought that Santa was a false god. So she censored all of the media coming into the house, to make sure none of us kids were exposed to the story until we were old enough to understand that it was just a story made up to confuse little kids. (Carl Funk #1229)

I admit it, I was told by my sister when I was 8, and my mother confirmed that my sister was right. I was utterly crushed. Of course, I think my belief was prolonged by a very clever slight of hand trick my mother did when I was about 6 and I had lost my tooth. I was up playing with the tooth when it disappeared completely, and when my mother came in and asked me why I was crying, I told her that I lost my tooth, and that now the toothfairy wouldn't come. She lifted up my pillow and there sat a nice shiny quarter (a lot of money back then!), and she said, the Toothfairy must have slipped in and taken the tooth right from my hand! I was at the point where I didn't quite believe in the toothfairy, but that convinced me for a while longer. And if the toothfairy could exist then who was I to question Santa Claus?
You know, what I think is funny? I had an unwavering belief in Santa, but I always questioned god. Maybe because at least 'Santa' delivered come xmas morning. (Chani #1118)

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