Santa gets heave ho-ho (Few British stores hiring Saint Nick anymore)

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | November 8, 2004 | OLIVER HARVEY

[Stoat]

Santa gets heave ho-ho

Endangered species ... store Santas
 

By OLIVER HARVEYHO ho no! Santa is being given the boot by Britain’s store bosses.

Not one shop in London’s Oxford Street is having a grotto this year.

Instead many are using pop stars and TV celebrities to promote festive goods.

The Ministry of Fun school, which trains Santas, has taken just 93 bookings across the UK this year — compared to 602 in 2001.

Owner James Lovell said hard-nosed shop bosses believe grottos take up too much space. He added: “It’s sad that so many kids are missing a magical experience. The look on their faces when they enter the grotto is wonderful.”

Mr Lovell said bookings had fallen steadily by about 20 per cent a year. Sally Humphreys, of the Oxford Street Association, which represents 300 shops, said: “There has been a sharp decline in recent years.”

 

 

Save our Santas ... Sun campaign
 

 

Another reason for the fall is that parents are wary of letting their kids sit on a stranger’s lap — even though most Santas are subject to police checks. Retail psychologist Tim Denison said busy parents also begrudge queueing for the grotto.

But many shoppers are furious. Margaret Williams, 81, of Bampton, Devon, said: “I take my granddaughter to Santa’s grotto every year. It’s part of Christmas. We have to save our Santas.”

[Stoat]

This is so sad...another part of childhood's innocence and magic is slipping away.

[CWOJackson]

To be replaced with Saint Arafat perhaps? Passing out toy bomb belts to all good little boys and girls.

[Texas_Jarhead]

but on the upside kids might get to see a "pop star" or tv celeb - yea!

[Fallstaff]

Ho Ho Ho needs to Go Go Go

[thoughtomator]

They'll replace Santa with Santa's severed head in a bag.

[CWOJackson]

I hope this isn't in response to the Christmas gift we recently sent them...four more years.

[endthematrix]

Must have watched the movie, "Bad Santa."

[An American In Dairyland]

I'll be out of step with most here but I never believed in lying to my daughter and I did believe in promoting Jesus as the only reason for Christmas. I told her from the start that Santa was a make-believe character like Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse. She used to "visit" Santa like other kids and had fun with the stories about Santa. She's 26 now and says she never felt she missed out on anything in childhood or at Christmas because she was told the truth from the start about Santa. Lying to children, IMO, is something parents should never do.

[sevry]

but on the upside kids might get to see a "pop star" or tv celeb - yea!

Sir Elton?

[John Lenin]

The Euros think they can hide from their past and it is something to be ashamed of. Self hatred is running rampant and it is dangerous thinking and feeds into the extremists mindset.

[Cutterjohnmhb]

Thats a wrap, England is getting a lump of coal this year for Christmas.

[CWOJackson]

Perhaps we should bundle our Bush/Cheney signs and send them over?

[John Lenin]

I'm glad I didn't grow up in your household. It sounds crewl what you did.

[k2blader]

God bless you. :-)

P.S. Hope your flamesuit is on. Strangely, some people feel a great need to "protect" Santa.

[Cutterjohnmhb]

LOL, that would tick them off, good idea . And it's recycling to, we'd be greening them..Ho Ho Ho !!

[bikerman]

I`m sure Michael Jackson would volunteer.

[q_an_a]

they will find that sales drop and that this bit a marketing crap is wasted - people want tradition and spend only when they are complelled by the tradition. Take away the reason - in secular England that is Santa - people stop buying.

Remember - Be carefull Ralphie - or you will shoot your eye out. That is the true meaning of a retail Christmas.

[Oztrich Boy]

FWTW it should be pointed out that Santa Claus is not a British tradition anyway. And the photograph of the tall chap, in hooded robe, is not Santa but Father Christmas.

[You Dirty Rats]

As the Church Lady would say, Santa is an anagram of SATAN.

Seriesly, though, where is the Christmas spirit in London? If you don't give drunks jobs as Santa in the stores, what are they going to do? Steal for their booze?