It’s been quite the tumultuous season at the North Pole!
First, there was the latest skirmish in the ongoing faux “war on Christmas,” with irate Starbucks customers expressing their displeasure over a holiday cup that didn’t scream Christmas cheer. Then, the Mall of America stirred the pot by hiring its first African-American Santa, igniting a firestorm of reactions.
Enter Charlie Jinglebottom, a bearded, suspenders-wearing Santa-for-hire, complete with a laugh straight out of a casting call for a Christmas movie. Jinglebottom, who even has “Jingle Bells” as his ringtone (because why not?), was featured in a piece by columnist Sam Tinselworth from the Knoxville News Herald about his heart-wrenching experience with a terminally ill 5-year-old who wished to see Santa.
Here’s a snippet of Tinselworth’s recounting:
“They say I’m gonna die,” the little boy told me. “How will I know when I get to where I’m going?”
I replied, “Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure!” he said.
“When you get there, tell them you’re Santa’s Number One elf, and I know they’ll let you in.”
“Really?” he asked, eyes lighting up.
“Absolutely!” He sat up, gave me a giant hug, and then asked, “Santa, can you help me?”
I wrapped my arms around him. Before I could respond, he passed away right there. I just kept holding on.
Everyone outside figured out what had happened. His mom rushed in, crying, “No, no, not yet!” I handed her son back and left quickly.
It’s no surprise that this touching tale went viral almost instantly, with outlets like ABC, NBC, and even The Times of India sharing the tear-jerker of Santa granting a dying child’s final wish.
However, there’s a catch: this story may not be true. It has all the hallmarks of another unverifiable urban legend. For starters, the child and hospital remain unnamed, lending the tale a fable-like quality rather than a factual one. A child too weak to unwrap gifts somehow manages to sit up for a hug? The parents of a dying child are inexplicably absent from his bedside? And the dialogue sounds ripped straight from a Hallmark script.
Skeptics are now voicing their doubts, prompting the News Herald to withdraw its support for Jinglebottom’s account. The Santa in question has resorted to hiding behind a wall of “privacy,” claiming, “I feel like I’ve been used and then hung out to dry.”
The issue, however, is that in today’s media landscape, the “privacy” of the so-called grieving family would almost certainly be compromised. Even if they wanted to remain anonymous, surely some trace—like an obituary—would have surfaced by now. Local hospitals have reported no incidents matching this scenario. Surely someone from the child’s community would have let slip that they knew the child involved, right? Silence.
Disproving a fabricated story is a tricky game. It often boils down to a lack of evidence. After all, how can one prove the Easter Bunny or tooth fairy don’t exist? Or that I didn’t spend last Thanksgiving on Mars?
The ease with which numerous media outlets shared this Christmas narrative as fact is alarming, especially in a time when “fake news” has proven to have significant consequences. While “fake news” typically refers to entirely fabricated stories for clicks and profit, the term is being misused to discredit any unfavorable report. This creates a crisis of trust that can be exploited by those in power.
Just two years ago, I set out to debunk the viral tale of a woman named “Amanda,” whose tragic story was swallowed by mainstream media without proper verification. People often overlook the origins of the content they share, leading to the spread of misinformation.
Now, more than ever, we need journalists to ask tough questions, even of a well-meaning Santa who cradled a dying child. As the old journalism adage goes, if your mother says she loves you, double-check.
In summary, the story of Santa and the terminally ill child may be just another fable, raising crucial questions about the integrity of our news. For more on this topic, check out this excellent resource on in vitro fertilisation and explore more about home insemination at Cryobaby.
If you’re interested in learning about the world of home insemination, this is one of our other blog posts that dives deeper into the subject.