Mom Says Santa Shamed Son Who Asked for Nerf Gun 

The parents of four-year-old Michael DeCarlo are speaking out against an Illinois mall Santa Claus who brought their child to tears after denying his request for a Nerf gun for Christmas.

The incident took place on Sunday during which the "woke Santa" at Harlem Irving Plaza in Norridge told Michael that he would not be receiving the toy for Christmas because he was not accepting requests for guns.    

"If your dad wants to get it for you that’s fine, but I can’t bring it to you," he told a tearful Michael, whose parents opened up about the ordeal on Wednesday during an interview with "Fox & Friends." 

"Even if he doesn't agree with Nerf guns or guns, that's fine, but it's not his job to tell my son 'no.' It’s my job to tell my son ‘no,'" said his mother, Sabella. "And I clearly reassured [Santa] that it was okay so he could have just glazed over it and moved on. I feel like he shamed my son for his choice in toys." 

Sabella added that she was left "in shock" and just wanted to get her son out of the mall. 

"It's not like he asked for a unicorn or a puppy, he asked for a toy that they sell in every retailer even at that mall," she said.    

"I know that for some parents they don't allow Nerf guns in their homes," Sabella added. "It's a personal choice and that's fine. We respect that, but it's a mainstream toy so I was really taken aback and not prepared at all for that kind of reaction." 

In a statement to Facebook, Harlem Irving Plaza said it was "distraught and deeply apologetic about the unfortunate incident," adding that their third-party Santa company would "continue to remind all Santa’s how important it is to not impose personal opinions during visits with the children."

The mall also had a Santa deliver a Nerf gun directly to Michael's door by way of an apology.  

Michael Sr. noted that, "fortunately a bad thing ended up turning into a really good thing for Michael and a bunch of other little kids everywhere so we are happy about that."   

The mall Santa has since resigned and is "heartbroken and crushed that he has made this child so sad and upset," according to Harlem Irving Plaza. 

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