For many, there are only a few days of the year that are better than Christmas. The presents, the long break from school and quality time with family all add to the magic of Christmas morning. Despite the hard work that parents put in to make Christmas amazing, there is one man who kids idolize no matter what: Santa Claus. Growing up, kids want to meet the man who delivers all of those presents to them. So, when they find out Santa is not real, it is generally not taken too well.

The most common way kids tend to find out about this universal secret is by finding presents saying that they were from Santa in their parents’ room before Christmas. Junior Cate Barrett and sophomore Natalie English both found out this way, and as to be expected, both were devastated by their discovery.

“I found out Santa wasn’t real when I saw my mom packing Christmas gifts for my brothers and she was signing them from Santa. She just told me she was also Santa and the real Santa would bring other gifts on Christmas, but that’s when I realized he wasn’t real,” Barrett said.

“When I was in fourth grade I walked into my mom’s room around Christmas time and saw her wrapping presents. Behind her was a pile of already wrapped boxes labeled “From Santa.” I put two and two together and I found out Santa wasn’t real and as a little kid, I was devastated. This was the day I also found out that the tooth fairy, Easter Bunny and leprechauns are also fictional,” English said.

Another common way kids find out is by walking downstairs on Christmas Eve, only to find their parents are there taking on the role of Santa. Junior Nathan Strickland and sophomore Adam Duncan both experienced this first hand.

“I found out when I was in fourth grade and I came downstairs for a drink later at night, probably around nine or 10 and my parents were eating the cookies we put out for Santa and were wrapping presents that, on Christmas morning were ‘From Santa,’” Strickland said.

“The time I found out Santa was fake was in second grade. I went downstairs to try and finesse some Christmas cookies that we laid out earlier when I spotted a peculiar man placing presents under the tree. Turns out it was just my dad, but he tried to play it off smooth by saying ‘these are your cousins’ gifts to you’ but I was not buying it,” Duncan said.

For some people, finding out that Santa is not real is life-changing, and is something that sticks with them for a very long time. For Freshmen Charlotte Davis, she remembers just about everything about the time she found out that Santa is not real.

“It’s Christmas Eve of 2011. I’m nine years old. I head to my mom and dad’s [room]…  Being the curious nine-year old I am, a big, colorful bag jumps out at me as not being in the closet the week before. I decide to sneak a peek and inside I see different things I’d written on my wish list. “Hmmm….”, I think to myself. I was pretty certain Santa was real though, so I didn’t think much of it. I assumed my mom had taken inspiration from my wishlist and bought things for my cousin who was only two years older than me. I decided to leave it alone and go to bed. After all, the next day was Christmas! On Christmas morning… I hopped out of bed, barely remembering my discovery from last night. Dumping out my stocking, I was shocked. Half of the things I saw in front of me I had seen the night before in my parents’ closet. As a nine-year-old, the realization that Santa wasn’t real crushed me,” Davis said.

For others, however, it is not a big deal, and they barely remember how it happened. Freshman Liam Andersen can hardly recall how he found out.

“I’m pretty sure my brother told me,” Andersen said.

Of course, some people, like senior Kayla Herrera just never find out.

“Santa isn’t real?” Herrera said.