Bad Santa

There is a man who stands as a public health fellow at Monash University's Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine that has released an article in the British Medical Journal that depicts Santa Claus as a bad influence on children. Now not in the low level way you might assume one would think but in a really disturbing way. To think someone actually put a lot of thought into Santa's habits is also disturbing.

The man is Dr. Nathan Grills and he has linked Santa to a range of public heath issues that can influence children and potentially damage million of lives, that's right, millions. He claims that Santa is overweight and his only known diet is cookies, whilst his reindeer eats carrots. Then there is the brandy that is left out with the cookies, which means that over a series of houses would mean he is drink driving/flying. Another wild claim was his 'roof surfing' which is a dangerous extreme sport, even though I wouldn't consider roof surfing is even an activity anyone would take part in. He also has a disregard for road rules including speeding, not wearing a seat belt or helmet.

Now my problem with these over the top and pointless findings is what child who still believes in Santa actually picks up on any of this. Assuming most Santa believers are under 10 years old, that means they are over six years away from driving, long enough for them to forget the fact Santa doesn't have a seat belt. And who would even make the connection between a seat belt deprived sleigh and a car?

The whole drink driving issue is beyond comprehension, most of the time its plain old milk and wouldn't you think the magic of flying worldwide in one night would also mean one hell of a tolerance for alcohol.

Santa is not a role model for children, sport heroes and movie stars are more likely to influence children than a once a year parental lie. So keeping that in mind, when a sports star messes up and is publicly blamed for being a bad influence on children, then who is to blame if a child was to get fat because Santa is?

Get off your over educated high horse Dr Grills.