Childhood is brief and magical, a time when the impossible feels possible, and the world is full of wonder.
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.
Reverend Chamberlain presumably intended to refocus children on the religious meaning of Christmas. Invited by the school to talk about the birth of Jesus, he veered off-piste. Reminding people of the holiday’s origins has value, but stripping children of their belief in Santa doesn’t enhance their spiritual experience. If anything, it risks making Christmas smaller, more transactional, and less enchanting.
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.
An 11-year-old girl recently approached me in the school corridor, milk tooth in hand, asking: “Mr Hatfield, what should I do?” Naturally, I told her to wrap her tooth in tissue and take it home for the tooth fairy. These mythical characters teach us gently that life is more than what we see and can prove.
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.
Critics would argue that perpetuating these myths is deceitful, and honesty should trump whimsy. But this view underestimates the power of imagination. Children navigate a space where reality and fantasy co-exist. They know their teddy bears don’t really talk but still pour their hearts out to them.
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.
Adults, too, benefit from the wonder of these myths. Watching a child light up while unwrapping a gift “from Santa” is one of life’s purest joys. It reminds us that there is room for magic amid life’s responsibilities and deadlines.
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.
Let them enjoy their fleeting years of wonder. Eventually, children learn the truth about Santa, the tooth fairy, and other childhood myths. Timed well, this revelation isn’t a betrayal but a rite of passage. It helps children transition from innocence to understanding and offers parents a chance to explain the love behind the magic.
The spirit of Santa Claus is real, even if the man isn’t.
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