Santa Claus

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Vicar's Father Christmas Talk Leaves 10-Year-Olds in Tears

'I hope he never comes into the school again,' one mother says

(Newser) - One indication that the Rev. Paul Chamberlain's chat with English schoolchildren about the unreality of Father Christmas wasn't going well was the gasps from the religious education class. Another would have been the sobbing by the 10- and 11-year-olds. In hindsight, said the Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth, Chamberlain...

Santa Thief Comes Clean, and All Is Forgiven

He apologizes to store owner in South Carolina

(Newser) - Something close to a Grinch-like story has played out in South Carolina. A man in Greenville stole a Santa display, then later had a change of heart, returned, and apologized, reports Axios . As a result, restaurant owner Mayra Gallo says she won't be pressing charges. The unusual story began...

Under a Turkish Church, an 'Extremely Important Discovery'

Tomb of St. Nicholas has reportedly been found in Demre

(Newser) - Santa Claus' last stop was southwest Turkey in the age of the Roman Empire. According to archaeologists in the region, the burial spot of St. Nicholas, the Christian saint whose generosity spawned the Father Christmas legend, has been found in the remains of a church in the town of Demre,...

Standing Between Sarah Palin and Congress: Santa Claus

Bernie Sanders supporter from North Pole, Alaska, wants to 'legislate for greater good'

(Newser) - If Sarah Palin wants a seat in Congress , she'll first have to get past Santa Claus. That's the legal name of a city council member in—where else?—North Pole, Alaska, who's one of almost 50 people battling Palin for the state's only congressional seat. As...

Bishop's Diocese Apologizes After He Freaks Out Kids

Parents were horrified when he told children Santa doesn't exist

(Newser) - A Roman Catholic diocese in Sicily publicly apologized to outraged parents after its bishop told a group of children that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. In a Facebook post and subsequent comments Friday, the diocese of Noto insisted that Bishop Antonio Stagliano didn’t mean to dash the dreams of...

Protesters Confront 'Black Pete' at Holiday Event

Demonstrations have gone on for a decade against controversial Dutch sidekick to Santa

(Newser) - About 100 anti-racism protesters chanted "Kick out Black Pete!" on Saturday at an event where children could meet the Dutch version of Santa Claus and his controversial sidekick. The "Black Pete" character, often played by adults wearing blackface makeup, has sparked a decade of demonstrations and counterdemonstrations...

27 Dead After 'Completely Irresponsible' Santa Visit

Residents at Belgian nursing home were seen in pics not wearing masks during holiday event

(Newser) - Authorities in Belgium say a 27th elderly person has died in an outbreak at a nursing home from a superspreading St. Nick party last month, but they hope the situation is now under control. The Hemelrijck home in the northern Belgium city of Mol had organized an early December visit...

'Santa' Gets Stuck in Power Lines
'Santa' Gets Stuck
in Power Lines
Dec 21, 2020 4:39 PM CST

'Santa' Gets Stuck in Power Lines

Firefighters say he was rescued 'full of good cheer'

(Newser) - Santa found himself a little more tied up than usual this time of year. A northern California man impersonating Santa Claus and flying on a powered parachute was rescued Sunday after he became entangled in power lines, authorities said. The incident happened shortly after the man took off near a...

Bad News: The 'Clauses' Have COVID
Bad News:
The 'Clauses'
Have COVID
Dec 15, 2020 12:29 PM CST

Bad News: The 'Clauses' Have COVID

Santa at Georgia parade and his 'wife' tested positive, may have exposed dozens of kids

(Newser) - You might want to leave some Purell out with the milk and cookies and go to bed wearing your mask on Christmas Eve, because Santa's got COVID. Well, not the real Santa, but the actor who played him at two holiday events in Ludowici, Ga., as well as the...

Mall Santa Allegedly Exposes Himself to Teen in Breakroom

In another incident, a Santa refused a boy's Nerf gun request.

(Newser) - Police in Milford, Conn., arrested a mall Santa on Monday for allegedly exposing himself to a teenaged co-worker. Prince Carter, 45, faces charges of fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor, per the Hartford Courant . Carter is said to have grabbed and hugged the teen during the...

Ireland Declares Santa an Essential Worker

But to maintain social distance, children shouldn't stay up waiting for him

(Newser) - With 29 days to go until Christmas, Ireland has reassured worried children that COVID restrictions won't stop Santa Claus. Simon Coveny, the country's minister for foreign affairs, confirmed Thursday that Santa's travels will be classed as "essential travel for essential purpose," the Irish Times reports....

Feds Scrap Plan for Santa to Promote Vaccine

Santas, helpers would have received vaccine early

(Newser) - Santa and his helpers will no longer be among the first in line for a coronavirus vaccine. The Department of Health and Human Services has scrapped a plan to have Santa Clauses in dozens of cities promote the benefits of vaccination in return for early access to a vaccine, the...

Cold War Concern for Santa Included in JFK Exhibit

Russian bombing threat worried president and an 8-year-old girl

(Newser) - In the throes of the Cold War, the Soviet Union was planning to test a massive nuclear bomb in the Arctic Circle. But in a letter to then-President John F. Kennedy, a young Michigan girl was most concerned about the North Pole's most famous resident. "Please stop the...

Want to Stalk Santa? Here's Where He's at Right Now

Fire up NORAD's Santa Tracker to keep tabs on the bearded one

(Newser) - "He's on his way" can sound ominous without context, but for millions of kids around the world on Christmas Eve, those words are gold. CNN reports that the North American Aerospace Defense Command's Santa Tracker is officially up and running, keeping tabs on where jolly old St....

Colombia May Sue Over Walmart's Cocaine Santa Sweater

Government agency wants monetary damages for affront

(Newser) - A Colombian government agency is demanding money and an apology from Walmart after it offered a Christmas sweater appearing to show Santa with three lines of "Colombian" cocaine. "Santa really likes to savor the moment when he gets his hands on some quality, grade A, Colombian snow,"...

Walmart's 'Ugly' Xmas Sweaters Just Took It to the Next Level

Attire showing Santa doing blow, getting whipped by Mrs. Claus have been taken off site

(Newser) - If a sweater showing Santa doing lines of coke or getting whipped by Mrs. Claus was on your Christmas wish list, they just got a little harder to find. Walmart Canada is on Santa's naughty list after it posted several "ugly" Christmas sweaters for sale on its website,...

Dad: 10-Year-Old 'Out of Her Mind' With Christmas List

She wants $4K, plus a lot of other stuff

(Newser) - One 10-year-old girl's Christmas list is being labeled " most extravagant ," " lavish ," and " one of the strangest gift lists any child has ever assembled," among other slightly less benevolent descriptors . The list went viral after the kid's father shared it on Twitter last...

Irate Patrons: Harrods Is 'the Grinch Who Stole Christmas'

Customers are miffed that only big spenders can visit the store's Christmas Grotto

(Newser) - Starting on Friday, Harrod's department store in London will open the doors to its Christmas Grotto, a "snow-covered woodland filled with sparkling surprises that will leave little ones mesmerized" through Christmas Eve, including a visit with Father Christmas himself. But those little ones will need caretakers with fat...

For Kid Trump Talked to, Santa Is Not 'Marginal'

7-year-old Collman Lloyd didn't know what 'marginal' meant, left cookies and milk for Santa

(Newser) - A 7-year-old girl who talked to President Trump on Christmas Eve still left out milk and cookies for Santa despite the president telling her it was "marginal" for a child of her age to still believe. Then again, Collman Lloyd of Lexington, SC, says she had never heard the...

Trump Tells Kid Believing in Santa at 7 Is 'Marginal'

And he's right, notes the 'New York Times'

(Newser) - President Trump and first lady Melania Trump took calls from children anxious to find out where Santa is on his gift-giving journey, reports the AP . In one conversation, Trump asked a 7-year-old named Collman, "Are you still a believer in Santa?" He listened for a moment before adding, "...

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