Great Britain: School bans Santa from wearing red - because it reminds pupils of Coca-Cola

The Daily Mail (U.K.) ^ | November 21, 2007

[Stoat]

School bans Santa from wearing red - because it reminds pupils of Coca-Cola

Last updated at 16:37pm on 21st November 2007

Santa Claus is being forced to wear a green suit when visiting a school this year, after teachers decided the traditional red outfit would remind pupils of Coca-Cola.

 

Education chiefs have also banned the annual Christmas grotto - favouring an eastern European version of the festive season instead.

Staff at the Steiner School in Brighton, East Sussex, claim the red-suited Santa is a symbol of "modern commercialism" and reminds children of Coca-Cola adverts.

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Father Christmas and Coca-Cola have long been linked via Coke's advertising campaigns

They want its 200 pupils - aged from three to 16 - to experience more traditional values and customs, and have arranged for a Santa wearing a green outfit and slippers to visit them instead.

School spokesman Sarah James said visitors hoping to find the traditional jolly white-bearded fellow will be disappointed.

She added: "The red-suited Santa was created as a marketing tool by Coca-Cola, it is a symbol of commercialism.

"The school want to give the children a different view of things."

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The Steiner School in Brighton has taken a tough stance on Santa

Santa's grotto will be abandoned with kids instead visiting a gnome's home which they can crawl inside.

They will then be told a moral story and given fake rocks to break open with mini-hammers - to reveal crystals.

Mrs James added: "The school isn't trying to be a spoilsport or anything like that.

"The children are bound to come across Santa Claus plenty of times in the run up to Christmas and we're happy for them to.

"We just want the bazaar to give them a different experience.

 

No place for Santa: The poster for the Christmas bazaar advertises a 'GNOMES' grotto

 

"There will also be a craft market, candle dipping and choir performances as well as gingerbread decorating, homemade food and live music - in accordance with eastern European traditions."

But mum-of-two Cheryl Williams, 24, from Hove, said: "What a load of nonsense!

"What are they going to ban next - snow?

"Once again the PC brigade have clamped down on everyone's fun."

And amateur historian David Baker, from Brighton, said: "There are images of a red-suited santa going back to before the creation of Coca-Cola.

"Thomas Nast drew images of Merry Old Santa Claus that shows Santa in his red suit.

"If my research is correct, Coca-Cola wasn't even invented until 1886."

[Stoat]

According to the school's website, they have a "Snow Queen's Grotto"

 

Saturday 1st December 07: Christmas Bazaar
Time: 11am - 4pm  Venue: Main School
You are warmly invited to come and look around the beautiful setting of our School Bazaar. There will be children's activities, many craft stalls, story telling and Snow Queen's Grotto. Sit in our festive cafe and enjoy carol singing and various entertainments. 50p entrance fee.

Brighton Steiner School - Forthcoming Events

[ichabod1]

Will they have a “Family Tree?”

[Biggirl]

PC gone berserk.

[I see my hands]

This story reminds me of pot.

[ClearCase_guy]

National flag of China banned in Britain!!

"It reminds me of Coca-cola," remarked Gerald Trelawney, barrister, East Surrey.

[LIConFem]

?!?!?!!???!?!?!?!!??!?!????

[Bruinator]

If Santa was created by Coca Cola, there would certainly be a lot of infringement suits filed by The Coca Cola Company. I would remove my child from that school toot sweet.

[Diogenesis]

" You are warmly invited to come and look around the beautiful setting of our School Bazaar.

Bazaar? Bizarre. The green is probably a salute to Islam. Like the new NBC logo.

[RGSpincich]

The red-suited Santa was created as a marketing tool by Coca-Cola, it is a symbol of commercialism.
"The school want to give the children a different view of things."

Does that include painting the school's red brick exterior?

[Gorzaloon]

The Steiner School in Brighton has taken a tough stance on Santa

It might detract from that goofy Royal Pavilion.

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Maybe if someone told them that Santa wears red because he is a communist, then they would be more accepting.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

First they forbid Christmas in any public place. Eventually, they will call it a hate crime to say “Merry Christmas”.

[Domandred]

"If my research is correct, Coca-Cola wasn't even invented until 1886."

This from 1862

This one from 1869

1881

[contemplator]

She added: "The red-suited Santa was created as a marketing tool by Coca-Cola, it is a symbol of commercialism.

I would worry about a school that doesn't bother to research it's "facts".

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/santa.asp

I'm guessing that the spokeswoman who spouted the "Coke" nonsense was simply trying to look for a rational explanation for something they had already decided to do. She apparently thought that the "commercialism" argument would work so she accepted the 'urban legend' to support her case. Thank goodness for the age of the internet and the near instantaneous fact checking ability it gives!

[Let's Roll]

That’s not why they want Santa to wear green.

They want him in green for the same reason Wal*Mart and others have green Christmas ornaments only decorating their websites.

No announcement (they’re learning)- just green period. Maybe it’s my art background but green ornaments only is just very jarring to me.

http://www.walmart.com/

[Stoat]

She added: "The red-suited Santa was created as a marketing tool by Coca-Cola, it is a symbol of commercialism.

I would worry about a school that doesn't bother to research it's "facts".

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/santa.asp

I'm guessing that the spokeswoman who spouted the "Coke" nonsense was simply trying to look for a rational explanation for something they had already decided to do. She apparently thought that the "commercialism" argument would work so she accepted the 'urban legend' to support her case. Thank goodness for the age of the internet and the near instantaneous fact checking ability it gives!

Thanks very much for the link!

Anyone wishing to contact this fine school and compliment them on the intellectual stature of their teachers and of their dedication to factual accuracy, as well as their refusal to bend to the fashionable winds of Leftist secularism are welcome to do so here:

Brighton Steiner School - Contact

 

Thank you for your interest in Brighton Steiner School. We welcome all enquiries and will happily answer any questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to contact us by one of the methods below. Thank you.

The Brighton Steiner School
Roedean Road
Brighton
East Sussex
BN2 5RA (Map)
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1273 386300
Fax: +44 (0)1273 386313
Email: enquiries@brightonsteinerschool.org.uk

 

 

(Hopefully I don't need to add a "sarcasm" tag here......)

[seeker_two]

Green reminds me of Mint Oreoes.....and gnomes remind me of Travelocity....and don’t get me started on mushrooms.... ;)

Why don’t they just cancel Christmas....and Boxing Day (too violent)....

[weegee]

Maybe if someone told them that Santa wears red because he is a communist, then they would be more accepting.

Why do you think they have him wearing the color of the Green Party?

[weegee]

I see that the admission is 50p.

Tell her that you read about this uproar and that while you don’t agree with her, you do support her right to speak out against commercialism. Tell her that you find 50p to be too much and that you’d like a wee discount.

If she asks how much of a discount you’d like, tell her 2p off.

[Stoat]

LMAO!! :-)