[Stoat]

This is so sad...another part of childhood's innocence and magic is slipping away.

[CWOJackson]

To be replaced with Saint Arafat perhaps? Passing out toy bomb belts to all good little boys and girls.

[Texas_Jarhead]

but on the upside kids might get to see a "pop star" or tv celeb - yea!

[endthematrix]

Must have watched the movie, "Bad Santa."

[An American In Dairyland]

I'll be out of step with most here but I never believed in lying to my daughter and I did believe in promoting Jesus as the only reason for Christmas. I told her from the start that Santa was a make-believe character like Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse. She used to "visit" Santa like other kids and had fun with the stories about Santa. She's 26 now and says she never felt she missed out on anything in childhood or at Christmas because she was told the truth from the start about Santa. Lying to children, IMO, is something parents should never do.

[John Lenin]

The Euros think they can hide from their past and it is something to be ashamed of. Self hatred is running rampant and it is dangerous thinking and feeds into the extremists mindset.

[q_an_a]

they will find that sales drop and that this bit a marketing crap is wasted - people want tradition and spend only when they are complelled by the tradition. Take away the reason - in secular England that is Santa - people stop buying.

Remember - Be carefull Ralphie - or you will shoot your eye out. That is the true meaning of a retail Christmas.

[Oztrich Boy]

FWTW it should be pointed out that Santa Claus is not a British tradition anyway. And the photograph of the tall chap, in hooded robe, is not Santa but Father Christmas.

[You Dirty Rats]

As the Church Lady would say, Santa is an anagram of SATAN.

Seriesly, though, where is the Christmas spirit in London? If you don't give drunks jobs as Santa in the stores, what are they going to do? Steal for their booze?