[asiachick]

I wasn't told by my parents. I found out because I looked under their bed and saw all the presents. I didn't bother me in the least nor did I start thinking all adults were lying. At most I thought they were pretending to provide fun. When my friends pretend to be someone else they aren't lying.

My dad used to have Santa visit (a friend of his who volunteered in public and came by as a favor to my dad). I didn't notice who it was. It didn't bother me at all when 2-3 years later I figured it out.

I know of zero kids that were traumatized by this. Not saying there are none but not going to recommend people don't do it. If we stopped doing things because some kid somewhere in the world freaked out we'd do absolutely nothing.