A Santa Claus actor was in court because he made a boy feel the rod

Once upon a time, and not so long ago, the matter would have been viewed differently. The fact that Santa Claus uses the rod completes his professional image. He doesn't just deliver presents like some random parcel delivery person; he appears as a moral authority who rewards children. Or, if necessary, punishes them. Some still believe that this figure should inspire reverence—and that it thus has a beneficial educational value. "My sister and I would hide under the chaise longue when Santa Claus came," a colleague recounts with a gleam in her eyes. "We trembled with fear."

In a case just decided in the middle of summer at the Schwerin District Court, a 62-year-old man must pay 4,000 euros. According to the court, the volunteer, dressed as Santa Claus, hit a four-year-old boy with a fir branch at the Stralsund Christmas market in November after the boy stuck out his tongue and said, "You're stupid." The child's mother speaks of a blow to the face and of pain. The defendant had previously dismissed the allegations as "nonsense," but has now admitted his guilt.

The proceedings were dropped in return for the aforementioned fine, but the defendant faced a prison sentence of several months. The prosecutor justified her suggestion to drop the case by arguing that the defendant had already been punished by the media attention. The suggestion was accepted by the defendant and his defense attorney, and the court decided on it after approximately two hours of deliberations.

No rod, no gifts

Reports after the trial began revealed that Santa Claus had a different experience. He had merely touched the boy's left buttocks with the rod. He may have frightened the little boy, yes, but there was no question of him feeling any pain. With this, the man who has performed as Santa Claus for many decades, like his father before him, reveals a pedagogical concept that may now be out of date. Perhaps it was only during this trial that he realized he might have done anything wrong.

"My client regrets the incident and also that his career as Santa Claus has ended this way," said defense attorney Jens Peiser. Will anyone be able to bring the then five-year-old boy a present?