This Newspaper Ruined Christmas By Saying Santa Was Dead

[news]

[news]

Don't worry kids, Santa isn't dead!

But a newspaper in Norway is sure to be on this year's naughty list after it accidentally published a fake obituary for Father Christmas.

The hoax announcement in Aftenposten claimed Saint Nick died at the age of 226 in the country's most northern point of Nordkapp on Dec. 3, reports the BBC.

It also revealed his funeral would be held at the North Pole Chapel on Dec. 28, reports the Evening Standard. 

His birth date was given as Dec. 12, 1788 -- but no cause of death was stated. 

It's unclear who created the pretend death notice, nor how it ended up in the publication's obituary page. It was removed from the newspaper's website after being spotted, according to Metro.

Norway's second biggest-selling newspaper later released a statement to apologize for the incident and say it was reviewing its internal procedures.

"Aftenposten has strict guidelines for both the content and use of symbols in our obituaries," a spokesman said, per the BBC.

"This ad is a violation of these and should never have been published. We will find out what has happened," he added.

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