The bill, which proposes to charge a Class 4 felony to child sex offenders participating in any holiday events involving children, passed the House unanimously today, and will be sent to the governor’s desk.

The bill would make an exception for offenders whose crimes didn’t involve instances of force, the victim was at least 13, and the offender was less than five years older than the victim. Those so-called “Romeo & Juliet” cases have become a point of contention recently, with some critics saying they don’t belong on the state sex-offender list with child-rapists.

A reality of the modern age is that the Internet is a fertile field for child predators, spammers, hackers and exploiters of all types looking to capitalize on the innocence of children through the hook of Santa portrayal online. By educating and enforcing uniform standards amongst website operators SantaStandards.com is hopeful of helping to create a safer and more enjoyable experience with Santa online.

Internet crimes against children is the fastest growing method of child exploitation and victimization today. SantaStandards.com’s mission is to ensure that NO Santa venue is used in this fashion.

Some Santa sites have issues with advertising images that are not family friendly. These are generally ads of a contextual variety that use information culled from the site content or information already stored in a computer browser to serve up ads that are seen. Many Santa websites using these ad revenue programs do not filter them for family friendly viewing so that a child could see an ad for a dating site or even a risque image for sexual enhancement products. SantaStandards.com condemns any site unable to keep family friendly control over their site pages.

A post privacy policy on any website is now a common practice in the Internet industry and many Santa websites do not have them. Information is the currency of the Internet and even passively collected information can be profitable for a website that gathers it. Every site needs to disclose all methods of information gathering and what that information is used for. That is the purpose of a privacy policy. Every Santa site should have one.

Some Santa-related venues are charging for access to Santa Claus. This is also against standards set forth by SantaStandards.com. Every child should have free and unfettered access to Santa Claus.

And finally, the historical character of St. Nicholas and even the charming basis of the modern Santa has taken a beating in Hollywood productions, music, and on the Internet and an effort must be made to restore the honor, dignity and respect of Santa Claus. SantaStandards.com works to ensure that continual education and restoration of the character of Santa Claus as a role model is promoted through the sites reviewed and catalogued at SantaStandards.com.

Pepsi’s first major ad campaign in three years launched today after the brand suffered a fall to #3 behind Coke and Diet Coke in soda sales in 2010. Pulling no punches, Pepsi snagged “Coke’s” spokesman — Santa — the make the pitch.

Wish we were surprised.

“This is pretty sad to see but nothing new,” said Jeff Westover of My Merry Christmas.com, “We were sent this link by a parent who saw it via a Google news headline. What these marketers fail to understand is that Santa doesn’t sell. Santa, at least as parents view him, doesn’t endorse things. Marketers who use the image of Santa to push their products only drive buying consumers away from them by sullying the image of Santa. They don’t want to support that.”

While in season it is common to see the image of Santa Claus used by all manner of companies large and small it is somewhat unusual to see off-season representations of Santa Claus to sell things.

“It doesn’t matter when it happens,” Westover noted. “Someone somewhere out there is going to notice and take offense to it. Santa holds a place in the hearts of parents who try to use Santa Claus as a role model of the true spirit of Christmas. Selling has nothing to do with that.”

“I have a real beard but I don’t have Trolli’s wallet,” says Santa Gary, of Salt Lake City, who has portrayed Santa for 17 years — free of charge. “It upsets me that men like this out there have to make merchandise of Santa Claus. Get a real job. All Santa needs to be paid with is hugs and a Merry Christmas. This guy is a joke to get on a business channel as Santa Claus and talk money. It’s shameful.”

Santa Gary works for free each season asking for money only from corporate entities for charitable purposes. He estimates he works 25 events a year, ranging from one hour to more than 8 hours per event, depending upon how many children are in attendance. “Nobody ever gets passed up by Santa and Santa never has his hand out.” Santa Gary emphasizes. “These guys who self-promote themselves and their business as Santa Claus give the rest of us a bad name. If Trolli would say such stuff on national TV I can only imagine what he would say to a child. There ought to be a law.”

To read the full Mountain Press report click here.

DefendingSanta.com received several emails from Santas concerned with the potential fraud the Chapter 7 filing represents. One Santa associated with the event, who wishes to remain anonymous, could not contain his anger: “With more than $400 spent per registrant to the Celebrate Santa events that alone represents almost a quarter of a million dollars per year the events were held. That’s just in registration fees. I think Joe Moore owes an accounting of what happened to that money to the bankruptcy court. Reporting short of $50,000 in income in two years is a flat out lie, especially since it appears their business Jolly Old Elf LLC was really just a sham.”

For more about the history of Joe and Mary Moore and the event once called Celebrate Santa, please see this link.

“That’s not Christmas,” Archbishop Fabriciano Sigampa of the northern city of Resistencia said in mass, insisting that children should not confuse celebrating the birth of Christ “with a fat man dressed in red.”

Sigampa’s ire was aroused by plans for a snow covered cabin in the city’s main square where a Father Christmas figure would hear children’s wishes and receive donated toys to be given out to poor children.

“Surely, in the coming days there will be a deluge of advertisements after they inaugurate the house where a fat man dressed in red lives. And we should not confuse, we should not confuse Christmas with that.”

He said children “should know that, in reality, the gifts come from the efforts of their parents and with the help of Jesus.”

After the bishop aired his objections, organizers dropped plans for a Santa and renamed the cabin the “House of Christmas.”

Sigampa has attracted controversy before.

In the 1990s, he caused a stir by ordering a mural for the cathedral of the northern city of La Rioja that showed the Virgin Mary with then president Carlos Menem and members of the Catholic hierarchy.

“When I ask the older people who sit on my lap if they’ve been good and they say, ‘Yes,’ I say, ‘Gee, that’s too bad,’” Toomey told the newspaper Monday. “Then, if they ask why Santa is so jolly, I joke that it’s because I know where all the naughty boys and girls live.” He said it was the first time anyone complained about the joke.

Toomey told the Chronicle that he doesn’t crack the joke when kids sit on his lap.

A Macy’s spokeswoman told the Chronicle the company had no comment about the dismissal because it was a personnel matter, but the newspaper said several workers at the department store were distraught that Toomey was let go. “Everybody’s just heartsick about this,” said one worker, who asked not to be identified because of store policy.

This sad story once again illustrates the poor judgment of an individual operating without the true context of the character he plays. The Chronicle states that fellow employees of the store were upset and labeling the move as an overreaction but they too seem to miss the point that the character of Santa Claus is not merely a secular figure to all people. Just as stores don’t want to offend non-Christians at Christmas it should be quick to safeguard the behaviors of their employees so as not to offend those who view St. Nicholas in a reverential way.

According to some of the email we have received here at DefendingSanta.com, worries about the perceptions of Santa being a “dirty old man” and border on how parents with children in the future would view this particular Santa given his “blantant disregard for avoiding sexual references” while in character.

“”We’ve said this before many, many times.” said Jeff Westover, of My Merry Christmas.com, the largest Christmas community on the Internet. “The general public, those who continue to drive belief in Santa versus those who merely merchandise him, are the ones who will dictate what is appropriate. They are ultimately the buyers and the customers here and that’s what Macys is saying. Parents are appalled that a man entrusted portraying the character of Santa would be so flippant, if even in a fun way, in his portrayal of Santa. St. Nicholas, on whom the character of Santa is based, was a member of the clergy. That might not mean as much in our day and age to some but back in the day he was known and revered as a protector to children, an advocate of women. Those attributes should be celebrated and held up in a heroic fashion to our kids. The real Santa Claus is a role model, that’s what parents are saying. When someone who is paid to portray him violates that trust, they should be fired. The email we’re getting overwhelmingly supports the action of the store in this case for those simple reasons.”

In a year with unprecedented economic difficulty the move and subsequent publicity of it has caused a variety of news outlets — and parents — to publish snide remarks about the greed of the business of Santa:

You would think a percentage of the sales would go towards Salvation Army or another Toys-For-Tots. Guess again, $10 for a picture or DVD package and the other $5 for sheer convenience.
Many parents have a problem for paying for something that is supposed to be fun, spontaneous, and pure at heart. Someone should dump a pile a coal in Kris Kringle’s thrown with a sign asking, “How much is this worth?”

— Business Review USA

How sad to explain to a child – “Oh no you can’t visit Santa – you did not make a reservation”. Will take my grandchild to see Santa at Northlake – that way we won’t bump into any of those fancy kids playing with their cell phones/DS/IPads etc……

— Parent comment at Atlanta Journal Constitution

“You have to pay for it, which I believe is completely ridiculous,” said Buckhead mom Erin Morton.

— ThirdAge.com

And how much does Santa charge for the privilege of sitting on his lap? $15 just for a basic visit, but that’s not including keepsakes, photos or videotapes which run for a whole lot more.

— Babble.com

However, many parents have a problem to pay for something which is so pure and enjoyable from heart. They do not support the concept of paying money for a chance to sit on Santa’s lap as they think it should be made free to make the children happy

— The Brilliant Stories.com

Phipps Plaza in Buckhead began a new tradition a few years ago, one that did not sit well with everyone. Phipps manager Dewayne Herbert says “He’s just a really popular Santa. Over 6,000 families visit him each year. This gives each family the opportunity to get their time in without feeling rushed.”

— WXIA-TV

The feeling and magic of Christmas came into the small town of Albion, New York this past weekend. The very first official “Charles W. Howard Day” in Albion, New York on September 25, 2010 was perfect in every way. Coming into town that morning, signs saying, “Here Comes Santa!” and store fronts decorated for the holidays, combined with the first signs of a windy and chilly crisp air gave no doubt that the Christmas Spirit was there!

Starting off at 9AM, the festivities opened with a flawless singing of the National Anthem and God Bless America as the crowd swelled to hundreds. Several dignitaries from the Town of Albion, Orleans County, and the New York State Governor’s office were on hand to proclaim September 25th as “Charles W. Howard Day.” The Official Santa Claus of the event arrived and led a line dance with fellow portrayers from around the country. The Family of Charles W. Howard was in strong attendance and Jane Holland; Grand-Daughter even took part in the Santa line dance! After pictures and fellowship, a procession of Santa’s and spectators wound their way around the Courthouse Square lawns and over to the First United Methodist Church for the rest of the ceremonies.

Charles W. Howard was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he was honored and remembered on Saturday morning – not only as Santa Claus – but as a Father, Grandfather, Teacher, Businessman, and Entrepreneur of the Community. During the ceremony, several presentations were shown telling the story of Howard, tokens from Santa Claus, Indiana were presented to the family, and everyone learned that Howard made a replica of Niagara Falls out of apple juice! During several parts of the presentations, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. The Family was overcome with emotion as Christmas home videos were played showing Charles rocking in a rocking chair on Christmas morning with his Family all around him.

If Charles W. Howard was alive today, he would have absolutely approved of the way the ceremony ended at the church. The entire audience, including Santa’s and Howard’s Family and Friends recited the Santa Claus Oath written by Philip L. Wenz, the great Santa from Illinois. As of this day, there are over 3,000 signatures on the Santa Claus Oath! “I promise to use ‘my’ powers to create happiness, spread love and make fantasies come to life in the true and sincere tradition of the Santa Claus Legend,” reads one line of the Oath that I believe sums up Charles W. Howard’s life. He brought happiness to the world, even at one of the Nation’s worst times after President Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. Just a few days after that tragedy, he brought Christmas into the country by appearing as Santa Claus in the Macy’s Parade as flags were held by every person along that parade route. Howard spread love through his community and shared it with other men from other areas of the country – so they also could spread the love – as he instructed them in every little detail on how to be a perfect Santa Claus. And finally, Howard brought the traditions of the Santa Claus Legend to life and passed on that knowledge to generations of Santa’s everywhere – including myself.

Leaving the church, I couldn’t help but hear Santa’s and Elves signing, “Here Comes Santa Claus” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Ho, Ho, Ho’ing” in a large group on the steps of the church. The ceremony had every single person in the Christmas Spirit. Charles W. Howard was also there on Saturday in Spirit, I have no doubt.

Countless stories of sitting on Howard’s lap, the Santa Claus School, and Christmas Park were heard throughout the day from every walk of life around Albion. Charles W. Howard touched everyone.

We also visited the site of the Original Santa Claus School and Christmas Park. Standing on the exact spot where Howard instructed men in front of the famous fireplace, moved me. As we walked around the property, you couldn’t help but notice that there were several deer tracks and a few new evergreens recently planted on the site behind where the old barn stood. The Spirit of Christmas is very alive there as well.

The Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast, a block away from the Erie Canal, was also a stop of ours on Saturday. Known for the day as, “North Pole Central” the Bed & Breakfast featured the Santa Claus Oath exhibit where attendees could sign the Oath. It also featured Harold Hudson’s Miniature Midway Exposition, gifts, art, Santa Claus School and Christmas Park memorabilia and baked goods.

A very special thank you must go out to Phillip L Wenz who organized and founded this event. Without his knowledge and dedication to the Family of Charles W. Howard, the Family of Jim Yellig, the Legend of Santa Claus, his commitment to preserve our Santa Claus History, his friendship with other Santa portrayers, and most importantly, our Santa Claus Oath, I know many of us Santa’s would not be the Santa’s that we are today. Phil Wenz has brought all the smallest and largest of pieces together for each of us. Phil is truly the keystone of our Santa world today. At 47 years old, Phil’s Santa career already is at a legendary level and he is without a doubt of one of the all time greats bar none and he is the current keeper of the Santa knowledge just as Howard was before him.

I watched as the Grand-Children talked with Phil. He is one of the family and they see him as a living extension of their Grandpa. One of the most poignant moments of this celebration is one that very few saw. We had just finished the set up in the Methodist Church and the production group was heading over to the Courthouse for the opening festivities. I asked DeAnn where Phil was and she said he would be over in a minute. I looked back at the church and decided to go back in to get him. As I walked in the sanctuary I saw Phil standing silently before the four pictures of Charles W. Howard that were illuminated by the twinkle lights and candles. He just stood there motionless in the peacefulness of the church. I watched for a few seconds and left knowing I saw something special.

Wrapping up the day, I made a stop to a large cemetery to the east of town, Mt. Albion Cemetery – the final resting place of Charles W. Howard. The grave site for the family sits on the top of a small hill, probably one of the quietest places in the entire cemetery. The small headstone mentions nothing of Santa Claus – it just says, “Charles W. Howard, 1896-1966,” I believe, that’s how Howard would have wanted it. Santa didn’t pass away, Howard did – but he passed on the Legend of Santa to each and every one of us – and that Santa Spirit lives on today. It hit me pretty hard while standing there, Howard didn’t want to be known as Santa, as nobody should be, he wanted to be known as Charles W. Howard, period.

~Dutch Schrap, a Traditional Santa Claus Portrayer from East Coventry, Pennsylvania.

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