I think this is just plain rediculous.

[Peter Williams]

When I heard this I could not believe it, and I just had to share it with you guys to hear your opinions on the matter.

A Santa Claus at my local shopping mall, was FIRED because he said "Ho Ho Ho!". The reason he was fired was because in this day and age, they are no longer allowed to say ho ho ho. They are instructed to say "Ha Ha Ha". Why you may ask? Because according to the fellas higher up, some women may take offence to santa claus saying ho ho ho. Because we all know santa is really trying to use derogatory slang towards women right? I can't believe this, what is this world coming to when a simple mall santa can't even say ho ho ho for the children anymore...

I just wanted to hear your thoughts on this and I was wondering if anyone has heard of anything like this happening elsewhere?

[wolfy-hound]

Well, to me...
If the rule was "No "hohoho" and he said it anyway, he deserves to get fired.
Even if it's a stupid rule, that's the rules for the job.

[Mindibun]

Yeah but you gotta admit, it prolly just slipped out. People have grown up with santa saying "ho ho ho". It would take a while to reprogram the brain to think of santa going "ha ha ha".

The rule *is* ridiculous. I hate when people don't realize that they're getting behind and/or enforcing idiotic rules. (aka - the people who thought up this whole thing) ... *sigh* Poor santa. Now he's saying "boo hoo hoo". :/

[NightLad]

Depending on the pronunciation, "ha" can be Chinese for "frog/toad." I find it offensive that Santa may be calling out "toad toad toad" in Chinese and could possibly direct it at me.

I would like to inform this fact to the mall who fired Santa. If I am ever in their mall, and I hear "ha ha ha" being directed toward me, I'll sue. I am so emotionally fragile and unbalanced that I can not withstand the affront of being called a Toad in Chinese. Really. I'm that fragile.

(This is tongue in cheek, but really, let's be serious. Ho ho ho!)

[tigerlily]

Geez! That is the definitely a stupid rule.

[cassandra]

Required reading: David Sedaris' "SantaLand Diaries"

audio segment available on NPR.

[tmartin2347]

I would of said HO HO HO just to piss them off. That's the worst rule i've ever heard. What has come of society these days, that is rediculous. That :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r: should be posted up in newspapers across the nation. That's just flat out wrong.

[dsirkle]

There was one of the big chain stores ( I am fairly sure that it was Target) just a couple of years ago that decided that the word "Christmas" was a politically incorrect and offensive word. They posted signs in their stores wishing customers a "Happy Winter Solstice" and ordered employees not to use the offending word. Quite a large effort to boycott this chain for being politically correct to the point of stupidity was initiated nationwide on talk radio stations and the store chain reversed it's policy.Ho! Ho! Ho!

[tmartin2347]

HAHAHAHAH thats so messed up. I think the only reason people are being overly politically correct is because everyone is lawsuit crazy. people will do anything for money and publicity.

[NightLad]

There was one of the big chain stores ( I am fairly sure that it was Target) just a couple of years ago that decided that the word "Christmas" was a politically incorrect and offensive word. They posted signs in their stores wishing customers a "Happy Winter Solstice"...

So, they ban Christmas but are okay with wishing patrons warm wishes on Winter Solstice celebrations? Its funny how people trying to 'culturally sanitize' the holidays just swing the pendulum in the opposite direction.

I use the word 'sanitize' because I don't think this idiocy has anything to do with political correctness as much as it does with bleaching the cultural diversity of our respective nations. I like living in a highly multicultural society. I enjoy knowing the various religious celebrations of my neighbours and friends. I think its cool to be able to wish people blessings, in their native language, on several festivals taking place this time of year.

Just as I'm not offended if a Christian wishes me, "Merry Christmas" I'm equally unoffended by a Jew saying, "Happy Hanukkah," or a Wiccan saying, "Blessed Solstice", or an Atheist saying "......"