I’ll never forget the time I found out that there was no such thing as Santa. It’s a moment frozen in time for me and I can still remember exactly how I felt when I heard the devastating news.
The year was 1984 and I was in the 4th grade at Parkview Elementary School. I was playing with my friends at recess outside at some point during the month of November when somehow we got onto the topic of Christmas and Santa. I’d been telling my friends about a Cabbage Patch Kid (yes, I totally just dated myself there) that I was hoping Santa would bring me.
My so-called friend Shawna Hurley looked me dead in the eye and said “you know there is no such thing as santa, right. It’s really your mom”. Everything after that was a blur. I was horrified, sad, disappointed and I remember feeling embarrassed that I seemed to be the last one to know. It was just like one of those moments like you see on tv where I was left standing there while everything in the background and all the people in it just sort of faded away.
I was a walker to and from school and the school was literally right up the street from my house, so I ran home that day and as much as I was hoping that it wasn’t true, my mom sadly confirmed that it was. She swore me to secrecy because my sister & brother were younger and still believed. I think she tried to make me feel better by trying to convince me that sharing this secret was somehow special, but I wasn’t buying it.
Now my children are experiencing the magic and I just hope that some rotten 4th grader doesn’t burst their bubble like Shawna did to me.
It’s funny, because I saw her at our 10 year reunion and and after talking to her for a few minutes, I told her she was the one that ruined Christmas for me and she gave me the exact same look as she did back when we were in the 4th grade. She looked at me like I was completely off my rocker.
Oh, and for the record….I got the Cabbage Patch Doll that I wanted that year. His name was Wade Xavier and I’m really not sure why I remember that.
Were any of you guys as crushed as I was when you found out that there was no Santa?
You know, I can’t remember how/when I found out there was no Santa. But I am DREADING that day for my kids!!
I figured it out when the ‘bootprints’ looked exactly like my dad’s boots. I don’t really remember being crushed as such. But my mom explained that Santa was all about faith in the good in people and the desire to be of service to someone else. That is what I have stuck with for my kids as well. They believe in the Spirit of Santa and still gets gifts from him every year, even the 18 yr old.
Hold on. Hold on. There’s no Santa?
I remember that day and how crushed I was. I cannot remember the exact year, but all my elementary school peers kept saying that Santa wasn’t real and that only babies believed in him. I knew my mom would never lie to me, yet Santa was one of those topics that I never came out and just asked.
After we opened our presents that Christmas morning, I found the courage to ask. I told her what my friends were saying and her response was “do you want to know the truth”. Of course I did, but when she told me…I cried and cried and cried. I asked her why on earth she would tell me that Santa wasn’t real?!?! Why didn’t she just lie to me? Her response was “if you’re old enough to ask me, then you are old enough to know the truth”. She also reassured me that Santa was alive in my heart and not to let the Christmas spirit die.
I have to admit, the spirit was lost a bit. Until my son came along and now the magic is alive and strong! I dread the day he realizes the truth, but hopefully we can let the spirit live on as long as possible.
I was probably the same age when some rotten classmate spilled the beans. I, too, was utterly devastated. And I’m dreading the day when my kids find out too. I just hope that they don’t stop believing — even if they keep it to themselves like I do….
I don’t remember one big reveal…I think my older sister showed me the hidden gifts..
my hubs walked in on his parents wrapping the gifts when he was only 5…that’s so sad..
and Shawna? what a B..I would be devastated if someone told me I ruined Christmas for them
My mom bought tons of the cabbage patch dolls, I was born in 84′ and she got one with blondish hair and green eyes and that was mine when I got older. She sent Nathaniel one with blonde hair and blue eyes before he was born from the same batch lol. It’s his baby and he loves it to death! Even though he has my eyes now..maybe I should color them haha
Sorry your Santa bubble was busted, I caught my Dad in the middle of it but I don’t remember when and from then on my job was to try to keep the kids asleep.
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Loved your story. I was sad when I found out there was no Santa, but our parents kept it alive for us anyway. Now it’s a tradition to remember the original story of Ol’ St. Nick.
Wait…did you just say there is no Santa Claus? Damn… now i’m sad. poo
I remember too!! I found out from a Judy Blume book in 3rd grade. The chapter was called ‘santa who’ i think. I asked my mom if it was true and she confirmed it.
I wasn’t sure if i was too young to be reading that book or too old to still believe in santa.
Cabbage Patch Dolls from the 80′s..love them!!
I don’t even remember finding out. But I do remember getting a Cabbage Patch kid one year
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check out the December posts about “believing”
I have no recollection of when I found out actually — I expect it was pretty young since my Grandmother (who raised me) was not given to such fanciful things.
My daughter, who is 8, told me there was no Santa this past Christmas. She’s very bright and she figured it out all very logically — sigh. But she still likes to pretend (I told her that Santa may not be a real person but he’s a real feeling in our hearts and that’s special) and to keep things going for her brother (who is six) and will probably remain oblivious until he’s 40 or so