After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!
HolidayHelper_600_v2.jpg

Is Santa real? Kids turn to Google to find out.

As Christmas approaches, curious kids are likely turning to the internet to find out if Santa Claus really exists.

According to search giant Google, queries like "is Santa Claus real" and "Santa real" have become increasingly popular each year -- particularly in the last few days before Christmas.

One parent told the Canadian Press that his son learned the truth about Santa when he became suspicious watching holiday commercials on television. After grabbing his father's iPad, the boy Googled the phrase "Is Santa real", read a few pages and then told his parents he was convinced Santa was a fake.

Google trends show that users in Ireland conduct the highest number of "is Santa real" searches, but Canadians aren't too far behind. Toronto was number four on a list of global cities asking the question, just after Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago.

In Canada, the most Santa searches since 2008 have come from British Columbia, followed by Nova Scotia then Alberta. Calgary ranked highest in a list of Canadian cities doing the search, before Vancouver, Halifax and Toronto.

To read the full CP story, click here.

More in Christmas Season

Filipino Christmas celebrates family, faith and great food

A Filipino Christmas is filled with rich traditions, some of which might come as a surprise.

10 holiday party tips from the gays!

Party etiquette to get you through the season, looking like a tree topper.

How to stay fit, happy, and healthy this holiday

Make your holiday a healthy one with a little planning, creativity and the following tips.
Speak up about this article on Facebook or Twitter. Do this by liking Vancouver Observer on Facebook or following us @Vanobserver on Twitter. We'd love to hear from you.