For a fleeting moment, we believe in flying reindeer, fairies swapping coins for teeth, or a jolly man squeezing down chimneys. That’s why Rev. Dr Paul Chamberlain’s recent declaration to Year 6 school pupils (10- and 11-year-olds) that Santa Claus isn’t real – and, worse, that parents eat the biscuits left out on Christmas Eve – feels not just misguided, but profoundly sad.
Santa Claus isn’t merely a myth; he symbolises generosity, magic, and the joy of giving – much like the tooth fairy, who turns the mundane event of losing a tooth into a delightful surprise.
For children, such figures are touchstones of hope and wonder. They teach us to suspend disbelief, trust the unseen, and marvel at the unseen world. Later, when children learn the truth, they recognise the deeper meanings behind these myths: the selflessness of a parent staying up late to create magic, or the joy of giving to others.
I took my children to Lapland – could it pull them back into believing in Santa?
Read MoreBelieving in Santa or the tooth fairy isn’t gullibility — it’s embracing mystery and fantasy. Psychologists and educators have long stressed the importance of imagination in childhood development. Pretend play and magical thinking foster creativity, problem-solving, and emotional resilience: all critical to growing up.
Sadly, Rev. Chamberlain – who has since apologised, or rather been apologised for by the Diocese of Portsmouth – misses this entirely. By pulling back the curtain too soon, he risked replacing joy with cynicism and wonder with scepticism. What’s the rush? Children have years ahead to grapple with the complexities of faith, morality, and reality.
The spirit of Santa Claus is real, even if the man isn’t.
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