Parents of young children can be assured that several versions of Father Christmas will be handing out presents and sprinkling a bit of festive magic in the shops this Christmas.
However, it seems the popularity of the role is alleged to have fizzled out, with parents protesting that there are so many Santa’s, leaving children feeling confused.
Department store chain Debenhams, has this year signaled the end of an era by proclaiming that there will be no grottos or Santa’s in its shops for the first time in several years.
The department store chain said that shoppers complained that they saw four or five versions of the legendary character in just one shopping trip and that their popularity was spoiling the magic. Children are being left bewildered by seeing Santa in one store and another elsewhere.
A spokeswoman for Debenhams explained: “There has been such an increase in shopping centre and town centre Santa’s over the past few years.
“We had complaints from parents saying there were too many, which was confusing for their young children. We don’t want to overcrowd the market and of course Father Christmas can only be in one place at one time.”
She denied that the choice was connected to fears over child safety.
However, the founder of one of the UK’s largest online parenting communities expressed surprise at the decision and said they were unaware of any concerns being raised on the issue.
Siobhan Freegard, of Netmums, said the annual visit to see Father Christmas was a “special moment” for children, parents and grandparents alike.
She added: “The cynic in me would suggest that the decision to scrap Father Christmas is just a way of saving money. It doesn’t really ring true.
“It’s a real shame. Not everyone can get to big stores like Selfridges or Harrods, and it’s a great opportunity to stand out, to encourage footfall and attract a bit of customer loyalty.”
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