A newly published article in the British Medical Journal entitled "Santa Claus: A Public Health Pariah?" suggests that the current image of Santa promotes an unhealthy lifestyle. According to Dr. Nathan Grills from Monash University in Australia, the image of Santa promotes obesity, drinking and (sleigh) driving, smoking cigars, and speeding, and that Santa's popularity could instead be used to encourage a more healthy lifestyle. The author even argues that Santa could potentially be a vector for infectious diseases if children sitting on his lap multiple times a day are exposed to any sniffle or flu bug he might be carrying.
I'm all for healthy living, and yes, maybe Santa could stand to lose a few pounds, but what happens if you take away the reindeer, sleigh, and christmas cookies? A tanned, toned Santa in a Speedo drinking protein shakes wearing a flu mask? Wait, haven't I seen that skating around Venice Beach already? I'll take the jolly guy in the red suit for a month every year over that...the next thing you know they'll be blaming Santa and his reindeer emissions for global warming. Sheesh, give the guy a break!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
3 comments:
thanks for the laugh!! i thought the same thing when i heard about that article.
I don't know, he drinks lots of milk, dresses warmly, lives in a smog-free place, and works only one night shift a year.
Seems like a fairly healthy lifestyle to me.
I'm with you...give me a break every so often with someone *jolly* who laughs a lot, gives things away and doesn't concern himself with ego in an ego-driven society.
Post a Comment