The fake news plague has reached crisis levels with inaccurate claims this week, by an Austrian priest and a German television presenter, that Christmas presents come from parents – and not Santa. Taking the lead from US president-elect Donald Trump, Austrian priest Ludwig Gmoser spread his fibs during a meeting on Monday with schoolchildren in the town of Guntersdorf.
"The priest said that the presents under the tree come from the parents," said one mother to Austria's Heute tabloid, after her child came home in a distressed state. Parents said they were furious at the priest and dismissive of the idea that they could afford all the presents supplied at no cost by Santa.
The Austrian parents wasted no time in putting things right, according to one mother, Martha: “We told the kids that the priest is old and confused.”
The headmistress of the school in Guntersdorf confirmed the claims of the priest and said she was investigating the matter. Fr Gmoser was more dismissive when challenged by the tabloid, saying: “I will certainly not discuss matters of belief via a newspaper.”
This week's second post-factual faux pas came on Berlin public television station RBB. Just five minutes into her new job as co-host of the seasonal Fairytale Puzzle show, Madeleine Wehle dropped a bombshell. She asked her young guests if they had ever rooted through their parents' wardrobes for presents. While the children looked puzzled, RBB's Facebook page lit up like Santa's face after too many hot whiskeys.
“I don’t want some broad giving children present-finding tips,” tweeted one viewer. Another wrote: “When my daughter heard that, she threw her letter to Santa in my face.”
The claims were dismissed on Friday night by a spokesman for Santa, who watched the Late Late Toy Show as usual from the audience in a Santa jumper disguise. "We have truly entered the post-factual era," said Santa's spokesman, Atticus Better. "Too many people these days present their misguided beliefs as unvarnished truths. It's just not on."
Santa’s present deliveries to Ireland are forecast to be up slightly on last year due to Ireland’s economic recovery and improved behaviour of Irish children during 2016. However, Santa’s robins will be working until Christmas Eve as usual, the spokesman added, reporting back children’s good – and bad – behaviour, from Letterkenny to Killorglin.
Santa spokesman Mr Better urged children: “Don’t try to be good. Be good.”
