Foul-mouthed Santa frightens children.

This is Jim Denison's daily article for Friday, December 14th, 2018.

It was the nightmare before Christmas.

Children were lined up to visit Santa Claus in the English town of St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, last Sunday.

An alarm at a nearby but unrelated event caused an evacuation of the building.

Organizers euphemistically said later that Santa, quote, assisted in the evacuation of the building. Organizers euphemistically said later that

Santa, quote, assisted in the evacuation of the building, end quote. Here's how. Parents and children

were leaving when Santa tore into the room, ripped his hat and beard off in front of 50 children,

and started shouting and swearing at people to leave. One mother said she had to tell her children

that the man wasn't really Santa, but an imposter. Who would be going on the naughty list? Organizers will try again this weekend, but have not said

whether the same Santa Claus will return. In a similar vein, I heard recently about an unusual

manger scene. I was honored last Wednesday to be back on the radio show equipped with Chris Brooks.

Chris is a brilliant

pastor, cultural theologian, and radio host. During our conversation, he told us about a good

friend who was jogging in his neighborhood and past a nativity scene. Mary, Joseph, the shepherds,

and the magi were all present, but the baby Jesus was missing. As Chris noted, some traditions

don't add Jesus to their manger scenes until Christmas Eve.

Perhaps that's what this neighbor intended.

Or perhaps this nativity scene is a sign of our times.

It seems to me that Christmas without Christ could be a theme of our holidays these days.

Christmas specials are televised nightly, but seldom refer to Jesus' birth.

Christmas decorations in my Dallas neighborhood feature

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