Telling young children whether Santa is or is not real is a parental ritual usually handled with painstaking care.
For students at a primary school in Hampshire, however, their childhood wonder was torn to shreds after a vicar told pupils the bearded gift-bearer was invented.
Tearful youngsters, angry parents and claims of a “ruined Christmas” followed Rev Dr Paul Chamberlain’s visit to Lee-on-the-Solent junior school this week.
The Times reported that he was there to speak to a religious education class about the birth of Jesus but the scope of his talk soon broadened.
He told year 6 students, who are aged between 10 and 11, that Father Christmas was not real, prompting pupils to sob. He also said that their parents bought their presents and ate the biscuits left out for Santa.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Portsmouth said: “We understand that the vicar of St Faith’s, Lee-on-the-Solent, the Rev Paul Chamberlain, was leading an RE lesson for 10- and 11-year-olds at Lee-on-Solent junior school.
“After talking about the nativity story from the Bible, he made some comments about the existence of Father Christmas.
“Paul has accepted that this was an error of judgment, and he should not have done so. He apologised unreservedly to the school, to the parents and to the children, and the headteacher immediately wrote to all parents to explain this.
“The school and diocese have worked together to address this issue, and the headteacher has now written to parents a second time, sending them Paul’s apology.”
