By Jess McCabe | 15 November 2007, 15:58

Dollymix alerts us to a story that has taken Australia by storm: a supplier of Santas apparently instructed its recruits not to say “ho, ho, ho” because it would be offensive to women.

Of course, it’s already 15th of November, so it should be no surprise to see the media latching on to yet another fake story about lefty types trying to ban Christmas - and who better to blame for spoiling the festivities than feminists?

Except, of course, no feminist would really object to a “ho, ho, ho” uttered by a round man in a red suit. Because it’s not sexist. It has nothing to do with the US slang term “ho”.

WorldNetDaily has a bit more information, although bare in mind that their other stories include “Get your Christmas-defense kit now!”

It all started when the recruitment firm Westaff – which has offices both in the United States and Australia – told its Christmas trainees that the “ho, ho, ho” phrase could frighten children and possibly be derogatory to women.

Or did it? We get further down, and find out:

One told the Daily Telegraph he was taught not to use “ho, ho, ho” because it was too close to the American slang for prostitute.

One person said this? I can’t find the Daily Telegraph story to confirm, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Maybe one trainer said something off the cuff, repeated to one Santa, then quoted in the paper, and it turns into a massive, international story about feminists attacking the Santa tradition. When they weren’t. Of course. Because that would be ridiculous.

Not that feminists don’t criticise the rosy-cheeked present giver, but it ain’t for saying “ho”.

Photo by Megandavid, shared under a Creative Commons license