As a parent-governor, the headmaster shanghai'ed me into performing as Father Christmas; I had to put on the costume, and go round all the classrooms going "ho

As a parent-governor, the headmaster shanghai'ed me into performing as Father Christmas; I had to put on the costume, and go round all the classrooms going "ho ho ho". When I got to my daughter's classroom, she didn't recognize me. But some other kids did; they told her "That's your Dad!". She was mortified, and burst into tears. I always despised the Father Christmas lie, and I should have refused; but the headmaster was very dominant and manipulative.