This week an archbishop in Argentina said that children should not confuse Christmas with "a fat man dressed in red". He said that, "in reality, the gifts come from the efforts of their parents and with the help of Jesus".

William Oddie, Herald blogger, is appalled. "I hope the archbishop enjoys his plate of gruel on Christmas day," he writes. He argues that we should try to reclaim pagan traditions, to re-Christianise the wonder of the Christmas season, not just cancel them entirely.

Fr Ray Blake, on the other hand, is sympathetic to the archbishop. Although he says he never wants to be the Father who ruined Christmas, he explains: