Religious Leader 'Ruined Christmas' by Telling School Kids Santa Isn't Real: 'Absolutely Disgusting'

Mar. 15, 2025

A stock image of Santa Claus.Photo:Getty

Getty

Parents are heated after areverendruined the magic ofChristmasfor a group of children.

“You’re all year six, now let’s be real, Santa isn’t real,” the local vicar reportedly told the group of 10- and 11-year-olds at Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School,GB Newsreported.

Rev. Chamberlain not only told the students thatSaint Nickis not real, but he also explained that it’s actually their parents who buy Christmas presents and eat the treats they leave out for the holiday figure each year, perThe Times.

Lee-on-the-Solent junior school in England.Google Maps

Google Maps

The news was not taken particularly well, according to parents at the school, with one mom recalling toThe Timesthat “lots of children started crying in class.”

“Mine was upset but she still believes,” the parent said, “so I’m quite lucky she’s still not believing him and she thinks he’s lost the plot. I think it’s wrong, but a lot of parents have had to confess to their child.”

One mom said her young children have since been telling her daily thatSantais not real, and another is struggling with how to move forward following the “disgusting” display at the primary school.

“I don’t know how it can be undone, but I think it’s absolutely disgusting,” the latter mom toldThe Times. “I don’t want him anywhere near my daughter.”

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St. Faith’s Church in England.Google Maps

The mother also hopes that Rev. Chamberlain — who has been the vicar of St Faith’s in Lee-on-the-Solent since March 2014, per thechurch’s website— “never comes into the school again.”

“I think he should stop doing what he’s doing,” she said, adding that “it’s been difficult, really difficult” in the wake of the controversial chat, “because [her daughter’s] a very bright little girl.”

“So we’re just going to try and just push as much magic into this as we can,” she added.

The mom who confessed to being worried about how to “bring the magic back,” complained to teachers following the incident — and she’s not alone. Parents have since raged about a “ruined Christmas” and filed a formal complaint against Rev. Chamberlain, according toThe Independent.

The school’s response? The headteacher wrote to parents twice, with the second including an apology from Rev. Chamberlain, and some teachers have been making “Lee-on-the-Solent believe” badges.

Teachers also explained in an email that they have told students that “all stories and legends around Christmas” are legitimate, and “your own family beliefs are what are important and just as valid as Christian Christmas story,” the outlet reported.

Rev. Chamberlain and St Faith’s did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, nor did representatives for St Faith’s or the Diocese of Portsmouth.

A stock photo of Santa Claus.Getty

“Paul has accepted that this was an error of judgment and he should not have done so,” the statement continued, “He apologized unreservedly to the school, to the parents, and to the children, and the headteacher immediately wrote to all parents to explain this.”

The statement also noted that “the school and diocese have worked together to address this issue.”

source: people.com