Yes Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus!

It’s that time of year again… and no I’m not talking about EggNog and Christmas Trees… I’m talking about making small children cry!

A 5th Grade class in a UK Primary School was given seasonal worksheets and lesson plans. Included with these lessons was information about how ‘many small children believe in Father Christmas (Santa)’ but went on to explain in great detail to the kids how the many thousands of letters sent to Santa each year are simply answered by the Post Office.

After reading about the Post Office responses, the children were then asked to write a letter to a pretend child, explaining in detail why their wishes for certain gifts did not come true.

The worksheet was produced by the Hamilton Trust, who’s director Ruth Merttens issued a statement defending the material in question.

“I feel sorry for the teacher concerned, but we produce the worksheets and it is up to teachers how they use them in class. I don’t want to upset anybody but I would say by the age of ten it seems unlikely that a child wouldn’t be aware of Santa’s imaginary nature.”

Now I will give it to her that MOST 10 year olds will have discovered that a physical person who resides in the polar regions of our planet is nothing short of a fairy tale butshe is going off of the assumption (assume makes an ASS out of U and ME) that children of that age SHOULD have “figured it out” the physical impossibilities of an overnight trip to every man, woman and child by now… not all have and there is the issue.

Faith is a very powerful thing, especially for small children. There is a great deal of magic involved in the way most people celebrate the Christmas Holiday, and giving them a worksheet that requires a 5th grader to “break the news” to a small child is not only completely insensitive, it is way out of line on the part of the teacher(s) involved. Just because you’re a humbug, and in charge of developing impressionable minds, does not give you the right, nor the privilege to spoil their traditions or expectations.

The spirit of Christmas means something different to each person that celebrates it, and just because some people choose to embody that spirit into the form of a Jolly Elf, doesn’t mean you have to get in the way.

The school has apologized to all the parents of the children involved and acknowledges that while they cannot undo what is done, the lesson in question will not be done again… and that all staff have been instructed to address questions about Santa and pals with a simple, “I’m not quite sure, you may want to ask your mom or dad.”

Common sense would have made such a response ‘policy’ years ago, but common sense seems to be missing from most adults these days.