A Norwegian pastor has said that children should be told Santa Claus does not really exist.
Pastor Bjorn Lian claimed that children these days do not know the real reason why we celebrate Christmas, so they should be told that Santa is not real.
Lian, the pastor of Karlsoy in Troms, described it as “sad” that Christianity is no longer at the forefront of Norwegian culture and education. He noted that many Norwegian children have no idea the real meaning of Christmas, and this was not the case 10 years ago.
A priest in Britain recently hit the headlines for informing school children that there was no Santa Claus. Many of the children returned home after school in tears, but Lian is of the opinion that it’s okay to tell the truth about Santa.
The pastor said it’s okay for younger children to still believe Santa is real, but when they reach six or seven they are old enough to learn the truth.
The modern-day appearance of Santa Claus was popularised by Coca-Cola advertising in the 1920s.