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Kind of off topic but the actual "Santa isn't real" moment for me was that some children really believed it. To us, it was always on the same level as the fairi

Kind of off topic but the actual "Santa isn't real" moment for me was that some children really believed it. To us, it was always on the same level as the fairies (led by BDFL Tinkerbell, obviously) in my grandmother's garden or the tooth fairy: fun to imagine but clearly, literally, make-believe and I thought everyone was just playing up to the same fun thought-experiment. And, indeed, the Argos catalogue was, for me, pored over all year round. In turn I discovered the multi-volume RS print catalogue and real desire set in. Sadly Santa didn't have a trade account so took a while to scam an account that permitted no-lower-limit free shipping.

Peanuts99 3y ago
I had the same feeling about God at a Christian camp.
Graffur 3y ago
Most children do not know what a "thought-experiment" is. I actually feel very sorry for you and other children who never believed.
- adhesive_wombat 3y ago
  Well I didn't know it was called that at the time. If I recall, a book, perhaps Alice in Quantumland, or some other similar book named the idea for me eventually. I also didn't know how what oxygen was called, once upon a time, and somehow managed to breathe. Anyway, I feel grateful to my parents that they managed to feed imagination without deceit, and I also appreciated that gifts came from my parents, some requested, some unbidden and all with love.
  - Graffur 3y ago
    You said "I thought everyone was just playing up to the same fun thought-experiment" which implies you did that thinking at the time. I'm not questioning whether you knew how to breathe or understood the mechanics of it. I can only go by the information you provided. Your reply even shows you don't understand the magic of Christmas that some children felt. > I feel grateful to my parents that they managed to feed imagination without deceit You're framing this deceit as a bad thing. What do you think about parents pretending a child's spoon is an airplane?

Peanuts99 3y ago

I had the same feeling about God at a Christian camp.

Graffur 3y ago

Most children do not know what a "thought-experiment" is. I actually feel very sorry for you and other children who never believed.

adhesive_wombat 3y ago
Well I didn't know it was called that at the time. If I recall, a book, perhaps Alice in Quantumland, or some other similar book named the idea for me eventually. I also didn't know how what oxygen was called, once upon a time, and somehow managed to breathe. Anyway, I feel grateful to my parents that they managed to feed imagination without deceit, and I also appreciated that gifts came from my parents, some requested, some unbidden and all with love.
- Graffur 3y ago
  You said "I thought everyone was just playing up to the same fun thought-experiment" which implies you did that thinking at the time. I'm not questioning whether you knew how to breathe or understood the mechanics of it. I can only go by the information you provided. Your reply even shows you don't understand the magic of Christmas that some children felt. > I feel grateful to my parents that they managed to feed imagination without deceit You're framing this deceit as a bad thing. What do you think about parents pretending a child's spoon is an airplane?