In one study, 48 children ages 6 to 15 answered questions about how they discovered Santa was not real and how the discovery made them feel. In addition, 44 of their parents shared their perspectives and how they promoted Santa in their families. In the second study, 383 adults reflected on their childhood experiences when learning the truth about Santa. Do I want to convince my child to believe in Santa Claus as long as possible, at all costs?” she said. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing the Santa myth,” Mills said.