While most kids spend at least some of their childhood believing Santa Claus is real, a majority realize the truth (or ask for it) by the time their age reaches double digits.

What should you do if your child reaches an age where they’re the last one holding onto the magic?

OP says you tell them so you can save them trouble at school, but the kiddo’s parents don’t see the issue with continued blind faith.

Her niece is 13 and still believes in Santa with her whole heart. OP wondered if she might not be playing along or have some questions, but the parents said that wasn’t the case.

I (F30) have a niece who is 13. Up until a week ago, she still believed in Santa. I asked her parents (my brother and SIL) if she was just pretending to still believe to not make them feel bad, or maybe to get more gifts or something, but they were adamant she still believed.

Last Christmas Eve I was at their house for dinner, and she kept saying things like “I’m so excited for Santa to come tonight” and telling me everything she had asked him for and wondering what country he was in at that very moment.

She doesn’t have any younger siblings, so it’s not like she was saying this for anybody else’s benefit. She is a smart girl, does well in school, and has no developmental delays that I know of.

She just, for whatever reason, still believed in Santa at age 13.

They were happy to have her believe because it saved them some trouble, behavior-wise, and didn’t want to give that up.

Her parents didn’t seem to have an issue with it. They said they absolutely did not want to tell her the truth and “ruin the magic” of Christmas.

Plus they said it was beneficial for them because believing in Santa would encourage her to “be good” in the hopes of getting better presents/not getting coal.

OP struggled for a few weeks with her decision, but ultimately decided to gently break the news that Santa wasn’t real so that her niece wouldn’t get made fun of and bullied at school.

I love my niece a lot, and after agonizing over this for some time, I felt it might be necessary to tell her the truth, if her parents were refusing. I remember how brutal middle school girls can be.

I mean, she had to be the only girl at her school who still believed in Santa. If it somehow got out that she still believed, and she got teased or bullied, that could be brutal and awful for her.

Wasn’t it better to hear it from her aunt than some mean girl (or guy)?

The child was upset but thanked her aunt for telling her the truth.

So, a week ago, I told her the truth. I tried to do it in a gentle way, explaining that what Santa represents (the spirit of Christmas) is very real, but that there wasn’t actually a guy with flying reindeer going to every kid’s house in one night to deliver presents.

She didn’t say much and got a bit teary eyed. But she did reach out to me a few days later and let me know that she appreciated me telling her the truth.

Her parents are pissed, though, and OP isn’t sure whether or not she overstepped.

Her parents, however, are furious at me and not talking to me. I feel like I did the right thing, but I know it was against her parents’ wishes.

AITA?

Did she? Reddit is hopping into the chat to let us know!

The top comment says OP did the right thing by her niece, because other children can truly be awful.

This person agrees it was a tough call, but that the aunt had the kid’s best interests at heart.

This commenter wonders what else these people are failing to teach their daughter?

Apparently this child isn’t alone, though.

A few people did think OP was wrong to violate the parents’ wishes.

I’m torn on this one, honestly, because it wasn’t OP’s place.

That said, bullying is no joke and we should save kids when we can. Ugh!