Research found little ones typically begin to distinguish fantasy from reality during their preschool years
From empty glasses of sherry on the mantelpiece to sooty footprints leading to the bedroom door, evidence of Santa’s existence is clearly irrefutable. Yet most children will begin to question it at some point – and many parents anticipate this moment with dread. Now psychologists have identified the average age when Santa scepticism creeps in, and which children are at greatest risk of harbouring negative feelings when it does.
While most adults have fallen for the myth that Santa doesn’t exist, many children still believe – even if the idea of a single individual visiting the homes of billions of children in a single night is at odds with their wider reasoning skills.
About Author
More Stories
UK Biobank is safely sharing health data to drive medical research | Letter
Revealed: Chinese researchers can access half a million UK GP records
Are we alone? New discovery raises hopes of finding alien life