Bah, humbug.
Just when I thought I couldn't take any more sad Christmas stories – a half-deaf boy with Down Syndrome had his presents stolen, Christmas lights were recalled because they might electrocute those decking the halls and a grumpy grandpa ruined Santa for thousands of little ones – along comes the scroogiest story this year.
A teacher in New Mexico told a student, who had dressed up as Father Christmas, that Santa is white – and since the boy is African American, had no business in the red and white costume.
"Christopher, don't you know Santa Claus is white? Why are you wearing that?" the student's father, Michael Rougier, told local Albuquerque television station KOB, adding that the boy said he felt ashamed.
And the worst part? The teacher is still getting paid while on suspension.
Two – publishable – words for you, sir: Megyn Kelly.
Need I remind you of the firestorm of controversy – and the beautiful Jon Stewart rampage – the Fox News reporter walked into when she declared Santa was white – "Jesus was a white man too," she said, as a statement of fact. Oyboy.
The race war on Santa – how absurd it is to write those words – has evoked expert commentary from a Harvard scholar: "I would say the question over Santa Claus being white doesn't make any sense," Professor Laura Nasrallah told Politico.
"First of all, that's a really odd claim because Santa doesn't exist – but don't tell my three kids."
Somehow, here we are, just a week until the big man arrives, and we're talking about Santa's skin colour – and a poor kid is being ridiculed because he dressed up for Christmas.
This racist (with a heart two sizes too small) is a teacher, and by definition supposed to set a good example. But most importantly, his shocking comment is completely out of line with the spirit of Christmas: cheer, charity, and kindness.
To quote the greatest holiday movie of all time, "It's when you do your best for love, it feels like Christmas."
(Psst: if you're feeling in need of some holiday cheer, allow me to recommend some wonderfully uplifting tales that evoke the spirit of Christmas.)
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Amberly McAteer