Not your typical Santa.

[SiotehCat]

My place of employment offers pictures with Santa. For pets, not people. We have fliers that have the Pics w/Santa information, and on the fliers is a picture of Santa with a dog. The Santa on the picture looks like your typical Santa.

We have a handful of people to play Santa, because we need to have a Santa available for different shifts. None of our Santa's look like your typical Santa. All of them are African American and one of them is a female.

This didn't even register with me until one of my coworkers made a joke about it. Then I started thinking.

Is it rude to post fliers with a very Caucasian Santa and then give them an African American one? Should there be some kind of warning, so that customers do not make their way to our store for their picture and then not get what they were expecting?

[TeamBhakta]

Why would you warn people about that ?   I assume that adults buying pet pictures would understand the ad doesn't literally mean "There will be a white male in a suit and not a minority or a female in the suit." And if they did have a problem with non-white Santa, I'd show them the door  

[ShadesOfGrey]

Interesting question!

I dont know.  I think the point of "santa" is that, well, it looks like Santa. That's why people stuff their bellies and wear a beard.  And santa is definitely male and caucasion, according to tradition. So there's definitely a stock "something" to expect.   

If there's a female/not caucasion person, it kinda makes you think "person dressed up as Santa" more than someone who's male, with a real white beard and caucasion.  It's the whole suspension of belief thing - it's a lot easier to do when the other side helps you along, kwim? 

That said, in Vegas, there's tons of impersonators that arent "typical" for whomever they're impersonating and still do a great job at it. 

[Sharnita]

Why would you warn people about that ?   I assume that adults buying pet pictures would understand the ad doesn't literally mean "There will be a white male in a suit and not a minority or a female in the suit." And if they did have a problem with non-white Santa, I'd show them the door  

I disagree.  Santa is an iconic figure.  I have no problem departing from the tradition but when the add features the icon and the actual Santa's on duty are less mainstream I do think a heads up is reasonable before people load up their pets and head out.

 

[TeamBhakta]

Why would you warn people about that ?   I assume that adults buying pet pictures would understand the ad doesn't literally mean "There will be a white male in a suit and not a minority or a female in the suit." And if they did have a problem with non-white Santa, I'd show them the door  

I disagree.  Santa is an iconic figure.  I have no problem departing from the tradition but when the add features the icon and the actual Santa's on duty are less mainstream I do think a heads up is reasonable before people load up their pets and head out.

But nobody expects a heads up if, say, it's Santa taking pictures with kids. Parents just tell kids who bring it up "Santa can change his look for different areas" or "Santa has helpers that wear his suit and take down toy lists for him."

[KenveeB]

It wouldn't occur to me that the Santa in the ad is the exact Santa I'd be getting in the picture.  A black or other minority Santa wouldn't make me bat an eye these days.  I must admit, though, I was a bit surprised when my dog went to see Santa last year and he was a woman.  I don't know why that seemed so much more wrong than a minority Santa, but it did!  I figure, though, that there's not as much importance in getting exactly the right look for Santa on a pet photo, because the pet isn't going to be asking "is that the REAL Santa?"   As long as he's got the suit and beard, I've got a cute picture and I'm happy.

[Sharnita]

Why would you warn people about that ?   I assume that adults buying pet pictures would understand the ad doesn't literally mean "There will be a white male in a suit and not a minority or a female in the suit." And if they did have a problem with non-white Santa, I'd show them the door  

I disagree.  Santa is an iconic figure.  I have no problem departing from the tradition but when the add features the icon and the actual Santa's on duty are less mainstream I do think a heads up is reasonable before people load up their pets and head out.

But nobody expects a heads up if, say, it's Santa taking pictures with kids.

How do you know? I think plenty of people would want a heads up if Santa was going to be a woman before taking their kids for a picture.

[faithlessone]

I wouldn't mind a minority - but I'd be a bit confused if it was a woman. Santa is a man - that's pretty much the most stable part of the legend.

However, I have seen "Mrs Claus" (a woman dressed in a long red dress with Santa's jacket and a matching hat), at a department store near me. That freaked a couple of people out, but most thought it was cool. However, a woman in the full Santa suit (and beard??) just sounds weird!

[KenveeB]

I wouldn't mind a minority - but I'd be a bit confused if it was a woman. Santa is a man - that's pretty much the most stable part of the legend.

However, I have seen "Mrs Claus" (a woman dressed in a long red dress with Santa's jacket and a matching hat), at a department store near me. That freaked a couple of people out, but most thought it was cool. However, a woman in the full Santa suit (and beard??) just sounds weird!

It's a little odd.  Here's ours:


(You can click for a larger version.)

[Jolie_kitten]

I'd say it's ok

[Sharnita]

Here's the thing - if somebody is advertising that there will be an Elvis impersonator performing somewhere - taking pictures with people and so on and the ad shows a realistic looking Elvis I'm going to expect that.  If I get to the event and the Elvis impersonator is a woman that isn't what I was led to expect.  I don't care how much in the spirit of ELvis she is in.  Now if I get the ehads up ahead of time I might or might not consider it and still go but I need to make an informed decision.

(Somebody mentioned Vegas which planeted the Elvis thing in my head)

[secretrebel]

I think it's not precisely rude but it's a pity. Since lots of santas will be the 'traditional kind' and yours are so much more diverse why not celebrate their diversity?

African American kids will be thrilled to see pictures of a black Santa up and be more likely to come and visit. Others will love a female santa. Celebrate the great thing you're doing and advertise it for what it is - a rainbow of santas!

[Shoo]

Why would you warn people about that ?   I assume that adults buying pet pictures would understand the ad doesn't literally mean "There will be a white male in a suit and not a minority or a female in the suit." And if they did have a problem with non-white Santa, I'd show them the door  

I disagree.  Santa is an iconic figure.  I have no problem departing from the tradition but when the add features the icon and the actual Santa's on duty are less mainstream I do think a heads up is reasonable before people load up their pets and head out.

But nobody expects a heads up if, say, it's Santa taking pictures with kids.

How do you know? I think plenty of people would want a heads up if Santa was going to be a woman before taking their kids for a picture.

I certainly would.  Santa is a male.  He is not a female.

[jimithing]

Why would you warn people about that ?   I assume that adults buying pet pictures would understand the ad doesn't literally mean "There will be a white male in a suit and not a minority or a female in the suit." And if they did have a problem with non-white Santa, I'd show them the door  

I disagree.  Santa is an iconic figure.  I have no problem departing from the tradition but when the add features the icon and the actual Santa's on duty are less mainstream I do think a heads up is reasonable before people load up their pets and head out.

But nobody expects a heads up if, say, it's Santa taking pictures with kids.

How do you know? I think plenty of people would want a heads up if Santa was going to be a woman before taking their kids for a picture.

I certainly would.  Santa is a male.  He is not a female.

I completely agree. I wouldn't really have an issue with Santa being a minority. I think I would be surprised, but I would be fine. I really would have an issue with Santa being a woman. I wouldn't want to have to explain to my kids why Santa sounds like a girl.

 I have no problem with diversity and celebrating that, but with a situation like this, where you have an iconic figure, and basic expectations of what Santa is like, to have Santa be of a completely different gender seems very, very odd to me.

[Judah]

I disagree.  Santa is an iconic figure.  I have no problem departing from the tradition but when the add features the icon and the actual Santa's on duty are less mainstream I do think a heads up is reasonable before people load up their pets and head out.

I agree.  If I'm going to pay for a picture with Santa, I want the Santa to look like Santa.