Ho Ho Ho

[Turkey Fife]

SYDNEY (AFP) - Santas in Australia's largest city have been told not to use Father Christmas's traditional "ho ho ho" greeting because it may be offensive to women, it was reported Thursday
Sydney's Santa Clauses have instead been instructed to say "ha ha ha" instead, the Daily Telegraph reported.
One disgruntled Santa told the newspaper a recruitment firm warned him not to use "ho ho ho" because it could frighten children and was too close to "ho", a US slang term for prostitute.
"Gimme a break," said Julie Gale, who runs the campaign against sexualising children called Kids Free 2B Kids.
"We are talking about little kids who do not understand that "ho, ho, ho" has any other connotation and nor should they," she told the Telegraph.
"Leave Santa alone."
A local spokesman for the US-based Westaff recruitment firm said it was "misleading" to say the company had banned Santa's traditional greeting and it was being left up to the discretion of the individual Santa himself.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071115/wl_asia_afp/lifestyleaustraliachristmasoffbeat

[The Rev]

Gays are offensive to me, and they still walk around holding hands! Same sex marriage if offensive to me, and yet some states allow it. Liberals like the Clintons are offensive to me, but they are still idolized in this county. I hate paying 3.50 for a gallon of diesel, but I do....

HO HO HO, get over it... May just be that it is offensive to those who are HO, HO, HO'S

[Duffy]

Sydney is a kind of different place all together. It really doesn't represent the rest of Australia.

santa (satan) I find offensive. The fat, happy, jolly, old fellow who is the biggest distraction to the celebration of the birth of CHRIST.

Robin in Rocky

[CalHunter]

Santa is something for kids at Christmas and the "ho, ho, ho" tradition was established long before U.S. slang was established. The article doesn't mention any female finding Santa's "ho, ho's" to be offensive so it would appear that this U.S. based company has made this stupid decision all on their own. Some people (and companies) appear to simply look for problems where they don't exist.