Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Enigma]

A couple of years ago just before Christmas, I was teaching a very small group of middle schoolers who I got along quite well with, when one of them asked me if I believed in Santa Claus. I thought he was joking, and I laughed and replied that, no, I don't believe in Santa Claus. He looked at me completely seriously, and affirmed that he did believe in Santa. He wasn't joking. I felt pretty bad, but he seemed way too old to still believe in Santa and when he asked, it didn't even occur to me that he might be serious.
I now teach mostly adults, but a few of the classes have a middle or high school student in them. Anyways, a few days ago, I had the students working in pairs describing the different holidays that are celebrated in Korea. I overheard one student, a middle school girl, say to her adult partner that Christmas is, "When Santa Claus brings presents to my house." Because of my previous gaffe, I didn't say anything, but she was obviously not joking.
I still remember my parents sitting my little brother and I down when I was about 10 and confirming my worst suspicions that Santa was indeed a farce.
So do any of you know at what age Korean kids usually realize they've been duped about Santa?

[PigeonFart]

Excuse me, just what the hell are trying to say about Santa Claus ?!!!!

[jvalmer]

[Hyeon Een]

[WadRUG'naDoo]

[T-J]

[sojusucks]

[T-J]

^^ haha. Quite possibly the farthest stretch I've seen outside of gymnastics and porn.

[Xylox]

I have a kid that believes in Santa, shes 10. She also told me that she has imaginary friends and talks to furniture. This girl will make one hell of a girlfriend in the future.

[Kalian]

I had a talk with my cousins about this a few weeks ago and they told me my nieces (I'm gyopo) and nephew believe in "Grandfather Santa" and write letters to him every year.

And just like in the states, their parents play along and wrap gifts for them and place it by their bed I guess? (i'm not sure where the gift goes, this will be my first Christmas here and I'm assuming by the bed since there's no trees).

But yea, my oldest niece who is 8 years old, recently started a fight with her 5yo sister by saying that he's not real making her upset saying that she's lying because he brought her something last year T_T

So, my guess is that by the time they're 10 their parents normally stop playing the "santa is real" game.

[Tundra_Creature]

... I believed in Santa until I was 10.

[Globutron]

What's this Santa thing... some kinda religion for kids?

[Kaypea]

Interesting. Last year, I thought it would be a cute Christmas activity to have my middle school first graders write letters to Santa. I assumed that none of them would still believe in Santa, but I pretended that I did to make the lesson more fun(ny). I remember one kid was kind of serious and said, "Teacher, I don't believe". I kind of chuckled in a "kids say the darndest things" way, becuase I assumed that of course, *none* of them really believed. But maybe a bunch of them did believe! I'll never know.

[new challenga]

Ha!

Reminds me of the time I brought up Big Foot in class to support an explanation and the elementary kids suddenly got wide-eyed and curious about this mystical creature. So, I played along and answered any and all questions they had totally improvising everything on the spot. The kids ate it all up. It was hilarious. And then a year later I realized that I never told them that Big Foot wasn't real. I just hope they don't grow up thinking there is an overgrown hairy creature roaming the forests of America.

[Carla]