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Officials Discourage Sitting on Santa's Lap
Lack of background checks prompt move
Updated: Tuesday, 29 Nov 2011, 11:39 PM CST
Published : Tuesday, 29 Nov 2011, 9:27 PM CST
by Paul Blume / FOX 9 News
It's the time of year when children start rehearsing what they want to tell Santa to bring them for Christmas, but parents and officials are urging children in the United Kingdom to forgo an age-old holiday tradition by refusing to sit in Santa's lap.
When the calendar flips into December, Santa will be everywhere to take down Christmas wish lists -- but Brits are bucking part of the tradition, at least in their schools.
"I'd sit on Santa's lap right now if he was here," said parent Jim Proulx. "We should be letting kids have fun and not worriy about it. Santa is right there for everybody to look at -- unless we're sending them into a back room or something."
On Tuesday night, it was clear that parents at the St. Louis Park Rec Center thought the safety measures may be going a little far.
"I always thought that's part of the Christmas tradition, fondest memories of my son sitting on Santa's lap," said Amy Davidson.
Many of the hockey moms and dads said they have a lot bigger worries than seeing their child sit down with Old Saint Nick, but schools overseas say they aren't taking any chances because some of the volunteers who play Santa aren't subject to extensive background checks.
That's why the country's leaders are setting some ground rules, discouraging children from sitting on Santa's lap and forbidding alone time between Santa and students.
"My first reaction was, 'Oh, no. This is not what we should be doing," said Star Tribune Columnist Gail Rosenblum.
Rosenblum writes about social issues, and says that some parents have become hypersensitive to the issue in the wake of recent high-profile sex abuse cases, including Penn State. Apparently, that worry has traveled across the pond.
"We all need to step back and breathe. Breathe," Rosenblum urged.
of gawd
Lack of background checks prompt move
Updated: Tuesday, 29 Nov 2011, 11:39 PM CST
Published : Tuesday, 29 Nov 2011, 9:27 PM CST
by Paul Blume / FOX 9 News
It's the time of year when children start rehearsing what they want to tell Santa to bring them for Christmas, but parents and officials are urging children in the United Kingdom to forgo an age-old holiday tradition by refusing to sit in Santa's lap.
When the calendar flips into December, Santa will be everywhere to take down Christmas wish lists -- but Brits are bucking part of the tradition, at least in their schools.
"I'd sit on Santa's lap right now if he was here," said parent Jim Proulx. "We should be letting kids have fun and not worriy about it. Santa is right there for everybody to look at -- unless we're sending them into a back room or something."
On Tuesday night, it was clear that parents at the St. Louis Park Rec Center thought the safety measures may be going a little far.
"I always thought that's part of the Christmas tradition, fondest memories of my son sitting on Santa's lap," said Amy Davidson.
Many of the hockey moms and dads said they have a lot bigger worries than seeing their child sit down with Old Saint Nick, but schools overseas say they aren't taking any chances because some of the volunteers who play Santa aren't subject to extensive background checks.
That's why the country's leaders are setting some ground rules, discouraging children from sitting on Santa's lap and forbidding alone time between Santa and students.
"My first reaction was, 'Oh, no. This is not what we should be doing," said Star Tribune Columnist Gail Rosenblum.
Rosenblum writes about social issues, and says that some parents have become hypersensitive to the issue in the wake of recent high-profile sex abuse cases, including Penn State. Apparently, that worry has traveled across the pond.
"We all need to step back and breathe. Breathe," Rosenblum urged.
of gawd
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