Police in Brantford, Canada, are reminding locals that while being a “Grinch” may spark controversy, it isn’t against the law after reports of anti-Santa signs along the city’s Santa Claus parade route. The signs, displayed on a house window, read boldly, “Santa is fake” and “Your parents are Santa,” drawing attention and a few raised eyebrows from parade-goers and social media users alike.
This isn’t the first time Canadians have seen a festive protest shake up holiday traditions. Back in 1979, downtown Toronto experienced a Christmas scene that was far from merry. Vietnam veteran Richard Dildy staged a one-man protest outside a busy shopping mall, holding a sign that read, “Down with Santa!” His mission wasn’t merely to irritate shoppers; it was a full-on crusade against what he considered a grand holiday illusion. Speaking to the Toronto Star, Dildy insisted that society needed to “stop lying to their children,” proving that not everyone buys into the magic of Christmas.
Richard Dildy, the notorious Canadian “Grinch,” took his anti-Santa crusade to new heights during Toronto’s 1980 Santa Claus Parade. Emboldened by his previous run-in with the law, Dildy donned a sandwich board that read:
“KIDS! SANTA IS A PHONY AND FULL OF BALONEY SO PULL A CHRISTMAS PRANK AND GIVE HIS BEARD A YANK!”
Marching alongside the parade procession, he shouted to the crowd, “There is no Santa Claus!” Naturally, the festive spectators were not impressed. Yelling back, they demanded, “Get this man off the street!” Police promptly arrested Dildy for his holiday defiance.
Despite the arrests, Dildy remained steadfast. “I like the spirit of … Christmas. I just don’t believe in Santa Claus,” he told the press. “This does not deter me; it only makes me stronger. I intend to intensify my struggle.”
In court that December, Dildy explained his motivation: he wanted to spare children the heartbreak he endured upon discovering that Santa wasn’t real, a revelation that had once left him so disappointed he lost interest in schoolwork and saw his grades drop. “I only wanted to save children from possible harm,” he told Justice David Scott.
Dildy even found a bit of public support. A Toronto Star reader, J. Senecal, wrote, “The reason that Dildy was arrested was probably that this type of demonstration would, if widespread enough, bring a downfall to the big money-making business that surrounds Christmas. Without the ‘jolly old soul,’ a lot of money would be lost.”
However, Justice Scott was not amused by Dildy’s holiday antics. “We’ve got to keep you off the streets at Santa Claus time,” the judge said. “Attacking Santa Claus is akin to attacking motherhood and apple pie.” Dildy was sentenced to pay a $50 fine or serve five days in jail. When Crown attorney Peter Griffiths requested 45 days to pay the fine instead of the usual five, the judge quipped, “There is a Santa Claus and his name is Griffiths. How can I go against Santa Claus?”
Dildy’s story remains a legendary chapter in Canada’s holiday history, a reminder that the “Grinch spirit” can exist anywhere, even in the middle of a parade, and that questioning the magic of Santa can be surprisingly controversial.
While police didn’t have a law against being a Grinch, they reminded the public that the holiday spirit is best celebrated with cheer, not chaos, especially during beloved traditions like the Santa Claus Parade. Dildy’s anti-Santa stance, however, earned him a lasting place in holiday lore, a front-row seat on the naughty list and perhaps a lifetime supply of lumps of coal. Whether seen as holiday honesty or a festive fiasco, one thing is certain: he redefined Grinch energy for generations to come.
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