Grinch tries to steal Christmas, stands in front of elementary school with 'Santa Is Fake' sign

AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — The Grinch tried to steal Christmas.

Dressed as The Grinch,David Grisham carried a sign during the morning drop-off at Sleepy Hollow Elementary in Amarillo, Texas that read "Santa is Fake. Jesus is Real."

Parents, as you might imagine, were not happy to see him.

One dad grabbed the sign and threw it on the ground.

Another parent told ABC 7 News "(Grisham) shouldn't be pushing his agenda any people's kids."

Police were called to the school, but they did not arrest The Grinch.

APD said Grisham was "lawfully on the sidewalk" and was not breaking any laws.

ABC 7 News asked Grisham if he understood why parents would be upset.

"I understand why they’re upset," Grisham said. "They’re upset because they’re prideful and don’t want to admit that lying to their child is wrong in spite of what God’s word says. They’re more concerned with the traditions of men rather than the truth. And they double down on the lie because of pride and they are angry because they want to blame the person telling the truth than the one who told the lie that prompted the truth to expose the lie."

"They don’t want to be seen as a liar in the eyes of their child. But the facts say they are."

ABC 7 Newsalso asked Grisham why he would choose to ruin the "magic" of Christmas for kids.

"I’m not concerned about the “magic” of Christmas but the MIRACLE of Christmas in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ," said Grisham.

Sleepy Hollow Principal Kelsey Williams said Grisham was "unwanted and uninvited."

"I'm saddened by the fact that some of our kiddos and families were frightened because of him," said Williams.

It's worth noting, Santa Claus is based on a religious figure, Saint Nicholas of Myra.

Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children, lived from 270-343. He was known for giving gifts. In one case, Saint Nicholas dropped a sack of gold coins through a window so a father could pay a dowry for his three daughters instead of having to force them into prostitution.

The Dutch pronounced Saint Nicholas as Nicholas Sinterklaas.

His legacy of secret gift giving lives on through Sinterklaas, also known as Santa Claus or Saint Nick.