santa-claus-nearly-died-in-arizona-in-1932
Cliff notes: A Christmas promotion by John McPhee goes wrong with a dead Santa: This is true.
McPhee's obituary explained:
It was while working on a Mesa Chamber of Commerce project that he became known as "The man who killed Santa Claus." The chamber had hired a man to parachute in a Santa suit but on the appointed day he was drunk and unable to perform his duties.
McPhee hit upon the idea of releasing a store manikin in a Santa suit from an airplane, with another man to take over on the ground and greet the children. When the manikin was pushed out of the plane, the parachute failed to open, and horrified children and adults watched the supposed Santa plunge to the ground.
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Take that you whinnying, little nose-picking brats and Santa Claus believers.