Belarus Schools Ban Santa Claus and 'Jingle Bells' During Holiday Season

Teachers in Minsk have been instructed not to include the image of Santa Claus or English-language Christmas songs in festive events, according to Belarusian media Euroradio on December 30.

City authorities issued the directive to class supervisors in schools, encouraging them to emphasize Belarusian traditions. However, the specific traditions to be highlighted were not clearly outlined in the order. For example, it remains unclear whether representations of St. Nicholas or Zyuza—a folkloric character associated with winter and frost in Belarus and parts of Ukrainian Polissya—are permissible.

“At holiday events, musical programs, and corporate gatherings, Santa Claus, Christmas carols, and English-language songs like Jingle Bells are prohibited. Instead, use our well-known songs and our fairy-tale characters. The same applies to New Year’s decorations!” the directive stated.

Earlier, a Russian propaganda video depicted Santa Claus being shot down by Russian air defense systems over the Kremlin was shared by multiple Russian propagandist channels in Telegram.