It looks like Santa might be on the naughty list this year.
A man dressed as Father Christmas in a North Carolina town for a sponsored themed event won’t be providing his services any more after allegedly fat-shaming a nine-year-old boy.
Anthony Mayse told a CNN affiliate that after he hopped off the Santa’s lap on Dec. 3, jolly old St. Nick told Mayse to “lay off the hamburgers and french fries.”
“That really just disrespected me,” said Mayse to WLOS news. “I felt awful.”
Mayse’s mother, Ashley, said the man portraying Santa acted as if he didn’t want to be there doing the job.
“I was just mind-blown,” said Ashley to WLOS. “I wished a million times that we would’ve never went.”
Mayse also added Santa’s words stuck with him for the entire day.
“It affected me so bad that I was crying until I went to bed that night,” said Mayse.
A statement was released from the town’s manager, reading in part:
“…the individual who played Santa Claus at the Santa House in Forest City made a remark that he regretted. He apologized to the parent, the child and the Town… he would no longer provide his service as Santa…”
However, Mayse said he already tore up his picture with Santa and would be going somewhere else next year for a photo with St. Nick.
Mayse also said he has his own message to Santa:
“ I would’ve said to him that my momma said you don’t want to disrespect a nine-year-old – even though what shape or size you are, it doesn’t matter.”