Why do they always have to look for hidden meanings in simple things?
Santa Claus and the big no, no, no
5:00AM Sunday November 25, 2007
By Michelle Coursey
Santa Claus as we know him - boisterous, round-bellied, cuddly - has become an endangered species.
As the Jolly Fellow gears up for his busiest time of the year, reports are coming in from around the globe that political correctness is threatening his persona. Nothing is sacred - everything from his figure to his mode of transport, even his signature phrase, are under fire.
In Australia, Father Christmases are being banned from saying "ho, ho, ho". The Australian branch of recruitment firm Westaff - which also trains about 70 Santas in New Zealand - told its wannabe St Nicks that "ho, ho, ho" could frighten children. In Adelaide, one Westaff trainee Santa claimed the class of 30 had also been told "ho" was American slang for a prostitute, and therefore a derogatory term for females.
Westaff New Zealand is not following the lead of its Australian counterparts, and confirms local Santas can make up their own minds about greeting children.
But it doesn't stop there. Environmentalists are also trying to alter Santa's image. The nine reindeer which pull Santa's sleigh through the sky would apparently emit methane with a global warming impact equivalent to about 40,600 tonnes of greenhouse gases - almost as much as a plane on a 122-million-mile trip. Thus, US scientists have come up with a new hybrid sleigh requiring only eight tiny reindeer, or modern hydrogen fuel cells, to power it along.
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