Hey guys,

There we go again.... just when I thought we couldn't go any further.... HEAD NEWS IN MSN... Australian Santa Claus' have been told NOT to say ho ho ho, as it may offend women. ok...

Now they want them to say ha ha ha instead.... IMO, this is extremism on politically correctness.... The kids don't even know what a "ho", if used in a different way is... The very little ones don't even know the Santa concept yet... I don't think this has to do with being religious or not either.... it's just the whole point of it that I personally find ridiculous...

I mean, which women are going to be offended? those who consider themselves "ho"??? what woman consider herself a "ho"?? I know is a vulgar ugly word and personaly I wish nobody used it.... but what the heck does it have to do with Santa and/or anybody being offended? Am I missing something...?

Read below:

Wed Nov 14, 11:04 PM ET

SYDNEY (AFP) - Santas in Australia's largest city have been told not to use Father Christmas's traditional "ho ho ho" greeting because it may be offensive to women, it was reported thursday.

Sydney's Santa Clauses have instead been instructed to say "ha ha ha" instead, the Daily Telegraph reported.

One disgruntled Santa told the newspaper a recruitment firm warned him not to use "ho ho ho" because it could frighten children and was too close to "ho", a US slang term for prostitute.

"Gimme a break," said Julie Gale, who runs the campaign against sexualising children called Kids Free 2B Kids.

"We are talking about little kids who do not understand that "ho, ho, ho" has any other connotation and nor should they," she told the Telegraph.

"Leave Santa alone."

A local spokesman for the US-based Westaff recruitment firm said it was "misleading" to say the company had banned Santa's traditional greeting and it was being left up to the discretion of the individual Santa himself.

Personally, I think it would be very annoying for Santa to go around saying, "HA HA HA"! Just because of what I'm used to for sure but it would definitely take some getting used to..and somehow it loses it's meaning to me as well.

So let's see... Santa can't say "ho" because it might scare children...

...but a strange old man in a pointy hat and a burly beard asking children to sit on his lap and tell him their deepest wishes is ok...

...some things will never make sense to me.

I was *just* going to come post this thread, too. I read the story a few minutes ago.

This is ridiculous! I can't wait to have some of our friends in Australia chime in.

How about Santa say yo yo yo? That way he could be "hip." Sheesh! (that was of course a sarcastic comment)

Maybe santa should say, "Gender-neutral non-denominational saying with no ethnic or cultural implications! Gender-neutral non-denominational saying with no ethnic or cultural implications! Gender-neutral non-denominational saying with no ethnic or cultural implications!"

Personally, I think it would be very annoying for Santa to go around saying, "HA HA HA"! Just because of what I'm used to for sure but it would definitely take some getting used to..and somehow it loses it's meaning to me as well.

Some may even take it personally.... ha, ha, ha....???what is Santa laughing at me now?:omg:

Good point..not to mention that Good Ol' Saint Nick would surely sound like a LUNATIC!!!!

(like my Christmas rhyme???)

It's only offensive because we've allowed it to become so. Santa said Ho Ho Ho eons before the term "ho" was twisted by our society to mean something bad.

It's like those awful people who move into a new housing development next to an existing motorcycle club or a game preserve or large farm and then want to shut it down. News flash: YOU are the intruder, it was there along time before you were. Ho Ho Ho was a jolly phrase from a happy character long before it was a slang term for someone whose morals are a little questionable.

So let's see... Santa can't say "ho" because it might scare children...

...but a strange old man in a pointy hat and a burly beard asking children to sit on his lap and tell him their deepest wishes is ok...

...some things will never make sense to me.

That's exactly what I was thinking, Santa's costume and big beard can be a little intimidating to a little kid... at least for some... which I can understand.... but it's the ho, ho what's going to do the trick scaring children right?:faint:

I was *just* going to come post this thread, too. I read the story a few minutes ago.

This is ridiculous! I can't wait to have some of our friends in Australia chime in.

How about Santa say yo yo yo? That way he could be "hip." Sheesh! (that was of course a sarcastic comment)

Oh Faith, stop it....LOL!

Maybe santa should say, "Gender-neutral non-denominational saying with no ethnic or cultural implications! Gender-neutral non-denominational saying with no ethnic or cultural implications! Gender-neutral non-denominational saying with no ethnic or cultural implications!"

Oh, damn! Glad I wasn't having a sip of water right then. :biggrin1:

This is very extreme, I mean come on now Santa's everywhere have been saying "HO HO HO" since I was a child and years before that...who is it offending actually. Maybe if Santa delivered toys to the Bunny Ranch, or a "HO Stroll" then maybe I can see someone becoming offended. I am with Wheetsin on this...asking kids to sit on his lap and tell their wants is ok...yeah.

Well, Happy Holiday, and HA HA HA and such!! I am going to decorate my tall green spruce(Christmas Tree), with flashy balls(ornaments), and purple string(garland), I will hang a circle(Wreath) thing on my door, and hang little people with wings(angels) around my house.

Its ridiculous because "ho" isnt even a word we use in Australia, its an American word. Sheesh.

We would say pro or prostitute. Santa doesnt go around saying Pro Pro Pro.

I do agree that THAT is overly pc. Stupid.

Oh, damn! Glad I wasn't having a sip of Water right then. :biggrin1:

LOL!!!!!!!!!! I was having split pea Soup......... darn it.

This is very extreme, I mean come on now Santa's everywhere have been saying "HO HO HO" since I was a child and years before that...who is it offending actually. Maybe if Santa delivered toys to the Bunny Ranch, or a "HO Stroll" then maybe I can see someone becoming offended. I am with Wheetsin on this...asking kids to sit on his lap and tell their wants is ok...yeah.

Well, Happy Holiday, and HA HA HA and such!! I am going to decorate my tall green spruce(Christmas Tree), with flashy balls(ornaments), and purple string(garland), I will hang a circle(Wreath) thing on my door, and hang little people with wings(angels) around my house.

I didn't think of that.... Santa needs to get it right and say ha, ha when he is delivering "toys" to the Bunny Ranch...LOL!!!!!!! oh SSDIVA that was funny!

I'm sorry but "happy" is offensive to those who are suffering clinical depression, and "holiday" is offensive to the people who have to work. I think "day and night of undiscolsed placation" will work!