Rev Dr Paul Chamberlain, the vicar of St Faith's Church in Lee-on-the-Solent, has issued an apology after telling primary school children that Santa Claus is not real during a religious education lesson. The incident occurred at Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School in Hampshire, where Chamberlain was speaking to Year 6 students about the birth of Jesus.
According to reports, the vicar expanded his talk to include comments about Father Christmas, stating that he was not real and that parents were responsible for buying presents and eating the biscuits left out for Santa. The revelation left several children in tears and sparked anger among parents, who accused the vicar of 'ruining Christmas'.
A spokesperson for the Diocese of Portsmouth confirmed that Chamberlain had acknowledged his error and apologised unreservedly to the school, parents, and children. The headteacher promptly wrote to all parents to explain the situation and later sent a second letter containing the vicar's apology.
The diocese emphasised that Chamberlain's comments were an error of judgment and that he should not have made them. The school and diocese have worked together to address the issue, ensuring that the matter is resolved.
