[Kitsune]

Originally Posted by rkzenrage

PC is a joke.

And so, it appears, is this all of this made up nonsense.

1. Are Westaff-recruited Santas being told not to say "ho, ho, ho"?
Absolutely not. In Australia, Westaff Santas are encouraged to assess a child’s reaction and act accordingly; this may include using various tactics for relieving children’s fears like adjusting their tone of voice.

2. What were the exact directions given to Santas regarding saying "ha, ha, ha"?
Westaff-trained Santas were directed to simply be sensitive to children’s needs. If a child appears frightened, they were directed to try different tactics such as "toning down" their voice or joking with the child to make them feel more comfortable.

3. How many Santas were instructed not to say "ho, ho, ho"?
None. Westaff of Australia hires and trains more than 500-600 Santas for such retail giants as David Jones Department Stores. In an effort to make every child’s experience with Santa fun and memorable, Westaff Santas go through training where they learn how to greet children. "Ho, ho, ho" is still permitted language for Westaff Santas.

4. Who developed and approved the guidelines?
While Westaff develops the training for Santas, it is based on their clients’ direction. Westaff clients like David Jones totally approve of Westaff’s training program for their Santas.

5. Whose decision was it to eliminate "ho, ho, ho"?
Westaff did not eliminate "ho, ho, ho," rather they provided guidance for Santas on other friendly greetings when dealing with a child that might be uncomfortable. We want every child’s experience with Santa to be fun and memorable.

6. Was this a client request?
No. Westaff simply was trying to guide their Santas on being sensitive to children’s reactions.

7. What about offending women? Was that a factor in instructing Santas not to use "ho, ho, ho"?

Westaff Santas were not instructed to eliminate "ho, ho, ho" from their greetings. Westaff Santas were simply provided with ideas on how to be sensitive to children, especially those who may appear uncomfortable by Santa.

A 70-year-old man named John Oakes, who worked as a Santa in an Australian department store, asserted he had been fired for saying "Ho ho ho!" and singing Christmas songs to children. His claim was disputed, however, by Westaff, who said Oakes had been dismissed because of his poor attitude toward the job and not for his ho ho ho-ing.