Santa has always been a staple of Christmas, but eventually, every child learns the truth about this magical man, LP students and teachers, included.
The SIREN staff interviewed Lincoln Park students and faculty on their experiences finding out that Santa isn’t real. Below are some of the interviews with stories that stood out most.
Sydney Shanks
Sophomore, Media
Coraopolis
How old were you when you found out there was no Santa Claus?
Umm…six. I asked my dad, and he told me the truth.
Did you tell anyone else?
I told my daycare teachers and kids at my daycare.
Charles Richardson
Sophomore, Music
Fair Oaks
How old were you when you found out there was no Santa Claus?
Five or seven, somewhere in that range. My mom said something broke that supposedly came from Santa, but then she said we got a warranty on it from Walmart, so then I just figured it out.
Did you tell anyone else?
No.
Was it because you didn’t want to ruin it for someone, or was it because your mom told you not to?
No, she didn’t even know I figured it out. I just never thought to.
Mr. Swartz
History instructor
How old were you when you found out there was no Santa Claus?
Oh, going back a ways here. Umm.. I would say I was probably 7 or 8. I was rootin’ around in a bunch of stuff I probably shouldn’t have been, and I found a Dick’s Sporting Goods receipt for something that Santa supposedly brought me. Dead giveaway. It was— you know those pop up basketball things? Yeah, I put two and two together.
Did you tell anyone else?
Oh, I immediately went to school and told all my friends. Some had already found out. It was probably a jerk move, but I did. Half of them were like, “Yeah I know.” The other half were like, “What!?”
Cody Zimmerman
Freshman, Media
Beaver County
How old were you when you found out there was no Santa Claus?
I didn’t know for a while. I was, like—I was really stupid, so…I was probably, like, nine. I just, I just knew it wasn’t probable.
Did you tell anyone else?
No, I played along.
Madeline Mihalovits
Freshman, Media
Alice City
How did you find out there was no Santa Claus?
Reasoning. Um, also storytime YouTubers.
Did you tell anyone else?
I was the only one who still believed in my grade.
Braxton Molinero
Freshman, Media
Peters Township
How old were you when you found out there was no Santa Claus?
Um, I was really young. I was seven. Technically, my mom just told me. She didn’t really care, so she told me out of evilness.
Did you tell anyone else?
No, cause I knew—well, I did tell one person, but that was it because they were being mean to me. It was, like, my cousin, cause she was like being a total jerk to me. That was it, usually no, I keep it to myself.
Mark Veon
Junior, Pre-Law
Beaver Falls
How old were you when you found out there was no Santa Claus?
Eleven. I started to guess that Santa didn’t exist. I started interrogating my parents, and I like would just continually ask my mom. And eventually, she just snapped and was like, “No, there’s no Santa. Santa doesn’t exist.” And she like freaked out—well, not, like, freaked out on me, but in the car she said that, and I started crying.
Did you tell anyone else?
No, no, I didn’t. I kept the magic alive.
Ethan Smith
Writing & Publishing instructor
How old were you when you found out there was no Santa Claus?
I actually don’t remember how old I was, but I do have a funny story. Because I guess whenever that was, I spoiled it. I was like the kid who spoiled it for someone else on the playground. And that kid cried.
I don’t think my parents ever really like told me that Santa was real. I think I just believed it because everyone believes it, you know like, cause I guess my friends did when I was little my parents didn’t really tell me either way, so I don’t think it was super heartbreaking to me when I found out that Santa was fake. Oh, I’m sure I was sad—I mean, I think I was probably sad, like, momentarily maybe, and I got over it.
Andrew Muiter
Senior, Media
Beaver
How old were you when you found out there was no Santa Claus?
I gotta say like, nine or 10. I snuck downstairs while my parents were putting presents under the tree. I had a very stressful time about it. I was very distressed and upset about it because I was..I was a very whole-heart believer. I cried. Big time.
Did you tell anyone else?
Yes, I did. They were not surprised…my friends.
Ella Kurschinske
Sophomore, Media
Mckees Rocks
How did you find out there was no Santa?
I would look at my Amazon orders and realize my mom was buying my gifts from Santa. I was really sad. I felt really lied to. People were telling me growing up, at my old school, that Santa wasn’t real but I didn’t believe them because, eh.
Did you tell anyone else?
I still believe that Santa is real, as well as the earth is flat.
Toby Taibi
Junior, Media
Midland
How did you find out there was no Santa?
I was probably, like, eight? So I grew up with insomnia, so I was always up really late. I got up at like 11 at night to go get my usual glass of water and to stand in the kitchen to get some of my energy out. I walk out of the hallway, and there’s my parents setting up the presents. And I went, “Oh, that makes sense.” And then I turned around and went back to bed. I was always a distrusting little kid. So I was always suspicious. So I wasn’t, like, disappointed or anything.
Did you tell anyone else?
I went to school after Christmas break, and I told my entire table that I caught my parents being Santa and they were like, “What the heck are you talking about?” Um, and so I had to backtrack. But I did try to tell people.
Sydney Abel
Senior, Media
Behtel Park
How did you find out there was no Santa Claus?
I found out when I was about like 11 or 12. I was in the car with my Grandma. I was sitting shotgun and my sister was in the backseat, and she was talking about how kids at school were talking about how Santa’s not real and she was saying he was. And I was like, “Oh yeah. Like kids will do that.” And then my Grandma looked at me and was like “She doesn’t know yet.” And I was like, “What do you like…mean? Like…what are you saying?”
And so I then went up to my mom, who just had surgery, so she was sick, and I was like, “Mom. Is Santa not real?” And she was like, “What do you mean? Why are you asking this?” And I was like, “My grandma just [told me]. And she rolled over in bed and was like, “Oh my God, I’m too tired for this.”
Did you tell anyone else?
I did not. I kept the secret. But my younger sister, she’s two years younger than me. She found out pretty soon after; she just didn’t want to say anything, cause she was just scared if she told her parents that Santa wasn’t real that she wouldn’t get presents anymore. So she kept it a secret for a while.
Ashley Mcfee
Junior, Media
Baden
How did you find out there was no Santa Claus?
I think I was nine? I found out because I had written something that I only wanted Santa to know. It was like some kind of skincare. And then my mom got it, and then I had two separate lists and then I asked my parents, and there was a whole list that said “Santa” in quotation marks. I was just kinda laughing and then I would tell my mom that she’s not Santa. And so then in the middle of the night I caught my dad eating cookies.
Rain Buecker
Sophomore, Media
Ambridge
How did you find out there was no Santa Claus?
I think I was 7 whenever I found out that Santa Claus wasn’t real, because I put two and two together after I figured out that the Tooth Fairy wasn’t real. Because I lost a tooth and woke up to my stepdad coming in and putting money on my pillow.
I think I told my dad after three months of figuring it out. “I know you’re lying to me and I don’t like being lied to.” I was always suspicious.”
Hamari Pope
Sophomore, Media
Aliquippa
Did you tell anyone else when you found out?
I think I told my little cousin because he made me upset one day, and I said “That’s why Santa isn’t real.”
How did he make you upset?
We were just play-arguing, and he said “That’s why you’re bald,” and I said, “That’s why Santa Claus isn’t real.”
Laine Price
Freshman, Media
Monaca
How did you find out there was no Santa Claus?
I was, like, 12. I figured it out pretty easily. My mom’s not too great at hiding stuff.
Jed Wright
Sophomore, Music
Burgettstown
How did you find out there was no Santa Claus?
Well, I think it was one of my friends who brought it up one day, and I was just kind of shocked. But it just kind of came up in conversation.
Did you tell anyone else?
Not for a while, but I think I did tell my little brother eventually.
Riley Ellefson
Junior, Music
Beaver
How did you find out there was no Santa Claus?
Okay, so when I was eight years old, I got this Barbie doll. And my mom said “Here’s Santa: he brought you a Barbie doll.” And I told my granny, who was like 80-something at the time, and I was like, “I got a Barbie doll for Christmas.” And she goes, “I know—your mother had it at my house!” And I go, “What?” And she goes, “I mean, Santa dropped it off at my house for a week before he brought it here.”
And I walked up to my mom and said, “Hey mom, is it true that Santa dropped off my Barbie at Granny’s house before she brought it here?” And she goes, “Mom!” And I go, “Is Santa real?” And she goes “No…”
“The Easter bunny?” “No”
“The tooth fairy!?” “No…”
So I started sobbing uncontrollably.”
Did you tell anyone else?
I would say I didn’t believe in him when people asked, but I never ruined the magic for others.
Have your own Santa discovery story? Share it with us in the comment section!