Father Christmas Granted a Walk-on Part in the Bible

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: One in 10 people aged 25 to 34 in modern Britain think that Father Christmas is mentioned in the Biblical account of the birth of Jesus

For centuries Christians have been taught that wise men from the east brought gifts for the baby Jesus.

But, according to polling, one in 10 young adults in Britain now believe that Father Christmas also makes an appearance in the Biblical account of the nativity.

Significant numbers also think that Mary and Joseph might have brightened up the stable with a Christmas tree.

Over a third of the public think that the Bible records December 25 as the date of the Jesus’s birth.

And a quarter appear to have confused the lyrics of “Away in a Manger” with the gospels by believing that the Bible states that Jesus did not cry when he was born. » | John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor | Saturday, December 21, 2013

Germany Moves to Claim 'Under Threat' Father Christmas

Der Weihnachtsmann

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Germany museum director believes the Father Christmas spawned in Germany is under threat from the more modern Santa Claus associated with Coca-Cola

A German museum has applied for Father Christmas to be added to the UNESCO list of cultural heritage, arguing that he has German origins and is in danger of being sidelined by America's Santa Claus.

Germany lays claim to a number of Christmas traditions, including the tree, the nutcracker, glass baubles, the Advent calendar and the Christmas market.

But Felicitas Höptner, director of the German Christmas Museum in the Bavarian city of Rothenburg, thinks Father Christmas's German origins are "under threat".

She said Germans no longer understood the origins of Father Christmas or the differences between him and the ever-laughing Santa Claus who was spawned by a German immigrant to the United States in the 19th century.

Her museum has applied for Father Christmas and Saint Nicholas, the fourth century Greek bishop he is derived from, to be put on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. » | David Crossland, Berlin | Sunday, December 15, 2013

Father Christmas Banned After Muslim Complaint
MAIL ONLINE: Father Christmas has been banned from visiting a children's nursery after a Muslim family complained.

For the last four years, Dennis Jackson has donned a beard and red-and-white costume to hand out presents at the St Peter's Head Start Programme in Minnesota.

But this year he was told he wasn't welcome after objections from a Somali family.
'It kind of burnt me up,' Mr Jackson said, after being banned by officials at the Head Start Programme.

They had told him 'it was against some people’s wishes' for him to make the half-hour appearances for two classes, for about three dozen children all aged three and four.

According to the regional coordinator for the Minnesota Valley Action Council, Chris Marben, at least one Muslim family complained of his visit. Father Christmas banned at children's centre after Muslim family complained >>> Daily Mail Reporter | Monday, January 03, 2011

US Postal Service Closes North Pole to Christmas Post
THE TELEGRAPH: The US Postal Service has been accused of Scrooge-like behaviour after it imposed strict rules on a 55-year-old Father Christmas letters service over fears that paedophiles might gain access to the young correspondents.

Since 1954, the Operation Santa programme, which is centred in the small Alaskan town of North Pole, has been forwarding about 150,000 letters a year addressed to “Santa Claus, North Pole”.

Replies written by volunteers around the US and bearing the North Pole postmark, come signed by one of Santa’s elves. However, concerns were raised last year when a worker at a sorting centre in Maryland recognised an Operation Santa volunteer in the state as a registered sex offender.

The individual was sacked before he could answer a child’s letter, but the episode prompted the Postal Service to tighten up the rules, which already required “elves” to show identification.

The service now prohibits volunteers from having access to children’s full names and addresses. They will be replaced by codes that match computerised addresses known only to the post office. >>> Tom Leonard in New York | Thursday, November 19, 2009

TIMES ONLINE: US cancels Santa Claus letter service over paedophile fears >>> James Bone in New York | Friday, November 20, 2009

Even Father Christmas Must Bow to Political Correctness in Sydney
Image courtesy of Google Images
SYDNEY (AFP) - Santas in Australia's largest city have been told not to use Father Christmas's traditional "ho ho ho" greeting because it may be offensive to women, it was reported Thursday.

Sydney's Santa Clauses have instead been instructed to say "ha ha ha" instead, the Daily Telegraph reported. Santas warned 'ho ho ho' offensive to women (more)

Mark Alexander