Brighton museum blog calls to decolonise Father Christmas, drawing backlash

A Brighton and Hove Museums blog post published in 2023 argued that Father Christmas is 'too white' to judge whether children are naughty or nice and urged a decolonisation of the iconic figure ahead of this Christmas season. The post said Santa's traditional role reinforces damaging ideas about power, authority and Western superiority and raised questions about his right to assess children across different cultures and traditions.

It contended that Santa's naughty-and-nice routine promotes a Western binary and casts the bearded gift-giver as a global moral judge. It asked who decided Santa should be the judge of children's behaviour in every community and asked how he could assess Indigenous children practising their own cultural traditions. The blog floated the idea that Santa could become 'Mother Christmas' and that many Santas from different regions should be included to challenge patriarchy and colonialism.

Beyond symbolism, the post urged families to reinvent Santa as a symbol of cultural exchange rather than discipline. It suggested Santa learn about different cultures, show them in stories, and emphasise exchange rather than assessment. It also proposed reimagining Santa's workshop to include people from around the world and to place Santa to work in the factory alongside the elves, portraying them as equals. In a further twist, the piece floated replacing Father Christmas altogether, with the possibility of multiple Santas or a female variant.

Reaction to the post was swift, with critics branding the document laughable and accusing the museum of competing for the title of Grinch of the year. Lord Young, founder of the Free Speech Union, told The Telegraph the museum had adopted a joyless tone. Others, including Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, director of Don't Divide Us, called the idea laughable and said it reflected a broader trend of 'faux radical' politics in cultural institutions. The museum spokesman sought to downplay the row, saying the post was written in 2023 as part of its Culture Change work and that the museum's role is to help audiences view history from multiple perspectives and foster debate. The Daily Mail has approached the museum for comment.

Context and aim: The museum's Culture Change program seeks to broaden interpretation of history and culture, not to dictate what is right or wrong. The institution says its educators' role is to present multiple viewpoints on objects, art and places and to encourage discussion and understanding of diverse traditions. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions over heritage, representation and national identity in the culture sector.