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Christmas (or should I say "Xmas" -- "the holiday season" maybe?) continues to be criminalized and the companies that make a business of tinsel, gaily wrapped packages and "ho, ho, ho" don't know whether to embrace or hide from the specter of political incorrectness.I'm sorry. Did I offend you?
In the latest blow to the no-longer-holy holidays, Santas in Sydney, Australia are being urged to say "ha, ha, ha," instead of "ho, ho, ho."
Recruitment firm Westaff (NASDAQ: WSTF), which contracts with hundreds of Santas, sending them to stores and social appearances throughout Australia, has re-vamped its training. It's telling would-be Santas that the "ho ho ho" phrase "could frighten children and could even be derogatory to women," according to an Australian newspaper.
As Zac Bissonnette says, "ho, ho, ho" is offensive? I could understand if Santas were walking around calling people nappy-headed 'hos," but Santa's jolly greeting is more kid lit than gangsta rap.
After all, what does "ho, ho, ho" remind you of, more, than "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"? Can't you just see a belly bouncing like a bowl full of jelly?
Oh, dear. Now I've just offended those with larger-than-normal body types.
While Christmas is certainly much ballyhoed by businesses worldwide -- from Starbucks' frenzy over its holiday drinks to the American high holy Black Friday -- it turns out that Christmas may not even be good for the economy. (Experts posit that buying so many unwanted things ends up making us unhappy, and is wasting our resources. I'd buy that for a dollar.) Christmas is just a minefield. Emphasize Christianity and you're alienating your Jewish and Muslim customers; pull a Lowe's and call your fake spruces "Family Trees" [pdf link] and you'll have the Christians boycotting you. This year, thanks to the China lead paint scare, many families don't even want to buy toys unless they're made in the U.S.A., handily excluding the majority of toy companies' products.
And, if there's no one watching and you're really careful, maybe you can wish some of your customers a "merry Christmas!" and laugh. Ho, ho, ho.
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Reader Comments (Page 18 of 18)
12-01-2007 @ 10:14AM
Devlyn said...
I am so sick and tired of this new politically correct morality which is total BS anyways so
Happy Yule
Merry Christmass
Happy Honika (spell)
Happy Kwonsa
and a jolly ho ho ho to all and to all have a good night :-)
and to the PC people out there I hope you all get what you deserve a big lump of coal !!!!
12-04-2007 @ 6:37PM
Mike said...
I am so sick and tired of Christmas getting changed and the traditions that we ALL are used to being changed. I am sick and tired of, "Happy Holidays" and "Holiday Tree" terms because some people claim to be offended. YOU ARE NOT Offended! You are just trying to change something to suit you and to mess with the Christians of the World. You have your Holiday and we have ours, No matter what religion you are. If you dont wish to say Merry Christmas, then dont, but dont expect me to say Happy Holidays because you are offended by Merry Christmas.
Now someone is claiming that Santa Claus saying Ho Ho Ho is offending! What the hell people. Get over it, Ho Ho Ho has been around so much longer than you that its sad. *Next we will see people trying to write a "New Bible" to fit all religions and not just one inparticular. And just for the moron that just read this and thought, "Thats a good idea, I think Ill do it" dont forget that in ANY religion it is a sin to add or take away from the Bible and by doing such things, when you ask for forgivness, there will be no conviction behind your request for forgivness...
People, you need to leave Christians alone and stop trying to mess with out faith and stop trying to make everything Polictically Correct. I will always say MERRY CHRISTMAS and if I see a Santa saying HA HA HA or something other than HO HO HO, I may slap them. And how do you know that him Saying Ho Ho Ho, he isnt refering to the Garden Tool? Policticians of Sydney, YOU MAKE ME SICK!
12-08-2007 @ 10:04AM
Dr BLT said...
Santas are no longer allowed to use the traditional HO HO HO greeting in Sydney, Australia. This has inspired a new tune called Santa Lost his Ho in Sydney. You can sample it via this link, if you wish:
http://www.bakotopia.com/home/Blog/drblt/18020
For those who have never heard of me (that's most of you), I'm also the guy who wrote this internet hit:
You're Not the Kinda Ho (That Santa had in Mind)
words and music by Dr BLT copyright 2007 Frosty Rock Records
http://www.drblt.net/music/hosong.mp3
Santa Lost His Ho in Sydney
Words and music by Dr BLT copyright 2007
Santa lost his ho in Sydney
Santa must say
“He, he he!” this year
Some feminazi’s didn’t like his greeting
Now Santa Claus
Has lost his ho ho cheer
Chorus:
What is Christmas without Santa’s ho ho
Might as well take Rudolf away
Santa lost his ho ho
In Sydney
Might as well have
Stolen Santa’s sleigh
Santa lost his ho in Sydney
And with his ho, his will to carry on
Santa lost his ho in Sydney
And I’ve just gained
A brand new Christmas song
You don’t take Batman’s cape
No, and for goodness sake, well
And you don’t melt a snowman’s snow
You don’t cut Samson’s hair
No you only let it grow
And you just don’t take
Santa’s ho
Santa lost his ho in Sydney
So let’s all make sure, he gets his ho back
And let’s all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Ho Ho Ho!
12-03-2007 @ 3:47PM
wackojacko said...
People, we need to stop trying to be nice to everyone. Granted, calling a woman a "ho" is terrible and should not be tolerated; however, saying "ho,ho,ho" is not derogatory. It is a phrase that has been said for many years with the intention os greetings during the Christmas season. No one should be insulted by this. If they are, then GET A DAMN LIFE and stop trying to change the world. Sometimes it is appropriate to insult people because they have it coming for any number of reasons. "Ho, Ho, Ho" is not insulting.
12-08-2007 @ 8:05AM
Lisa said...
My daughter and I put up our CHRISTMAS tree on the 1st of December. She is so excited about Santa coming this CHRISTMAS. We wish everybody MERRY CHRISTMAS, and we say HO HO HO, and if this offends you, then stay the hell away from me. I am so sick of all this political correctness bullshit that I could puke!