[Alex-db]

I think a lot of people change at that age as they develop the ability to think more critically. Becoming less naive or gullible about 'teachings' they just chose to accept as children.

It doesn't take a life-changing event for a child to realise that santa clause is fictional, and you wouldn't describe him as 'abandoning Christmas', he is just growing up and becoming able to see and understand the bigger picture.

Edit: I have spoken to a few people who become athiests at that age because they decided to sit and read the Bible themselves instead of relying on cherry-picked quotes as they did when they were children. Fully reading the contents of the Bible seems to be an effective route to losing faith.