Santa's stocks are dwindling

Ken Thompson believes Santa is the latest victim of a PC environment. Picture / Alan Gibson

Strict rules of conduct and the threat of being accused of abuse are putting men off dressing up as Santa Claus for children at Christmas.

Most Santas employed at malls have to go through police checks and follow codes of conduct that ban them from hugging children or sitting them on their knees.

Even the Santas who don red suits for events where their conduct is not controlled say they usually avoid touching children, including patting them on the head.

Rotorua man Ken Thompson, who has been a volunteer Santa at company and community Christmas parties for the past three years, said the fear of being accused of abuse was strong.

The 57-year-old insurance broker said such allegations, even if unproven, were a brush no man wanted to be tarred with.

"The stigma never goes away."

Mr Thompson said he judged each situation on its merits and would not hand out lollies, for example, if he thought it would make someone uncomfortable.

But the reality was that men dressed as Santa in malls, or for events, were never alone with children, so the chance of abuse happening was virtually non-existent.

Mr Thompson recently spoke out against airlines after revelations that many no longer seated unaccompanied children next to men. He said Santa was the latest victim of a politically correct environment that discriminated against men and he believed the implications for Christmas and children's image of Santa were tragic.

"If we give the impression that Santa is anything but happiness and joy, then we're doing something wrong."

Jock Stewart, who has been Santa at Palmers Garden Centre in Tauranga for five years, said he understood the rationale behind background checks.

"Nobody wants to see someone a bit kinky working with youngsters," he told the Bay of Plenty Times.

But although the 64-year-old accepted codes of conduct for Santas as a sign of the times, he felt the rules imposed were "political correctness gone a bit crazy".

Tauranga shopping centre manager Marie Mischewski said the strict new rules were a sign of the times, but restrictions had always been in place for Santas.

"I just think we have got to get it in perspective relative to today, and not say, because someone sat on Santa's knee 10 years ago and they are not allowed to sit on Santa's knee now, the world's gone mad."

The situation has caused shortages of Santas across the Tasman.

Perth-based Westaff, which employs Santas every year, is 10 short this Christmas.

For Perth's Athol Marsh, who has worn the red-and-white suit for 41 years, the pressure of being politically correct has become too much - this will be his last year in the role.

"You want to keep a child's dream alive but it's no longer working because of the stupid rules. There are still Santas in stores, but the heart has gone out of them."

Mr Thompson said he could understand why men no longer wanted to do the job, but he would continue.

"If I can put a smile on people's faces and make them a bit happier for Christmas, I have no problem with that."