Viel Spaß !

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Santas see red over Christmas traditions
By Clare MacCarthy in Copenhagen
Published: July 22 2003 5:00 | Last Updated: July 22 2003 5:00

As much of Europe sweltered under sunny skies yesterday, Copenhagen's citizens gawped as more than 100 portly, white-bearded gentlemen from around the globe frolicked in 30 tons of imported snow.

The men, attired in fur-trimmed red costumes, were delegates at the 40th World Santa Congress in the aptly-named Deer Park, north of the Danish capital. However, behind the merriment of the three-day event, organised by Bakken, the world's oldest amusement park, and Santa of Greenland, lurked some serious issues.

One concern is an attempt by the Spanish delegate to harmonise Christmas by forcing his colleagues to distribute presents on December 6, instead of December 24 or 25 as in northern Europe.

"He tries this every year, but he won't get away with it," said Tina Baungaard-Jensen, from Bakken, who added it will probably end in compromise, permitting each Santa to follow their local traditions.

Another potential flashpoint is air traffic congestion following the success of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. "There are far too many small boys with round spectacles riding around on broomsticks. This is very irritating for Santa," Ms Baungaard-Jensen said.

The 120 congress delegates - from as far afield as Canada and Venezuela - are also expected to pass a resolution stating that the real Santa comes from Greenland. The Finns, who say Father Christmas hails from their own Lapland, will dispute this but they have no delegate to state their case in Copenhagen.

Santa's generosity may also be under threat from state parsimony as the Greenland Home Rule government cut its annual grant. The cash funded one of the longest Christmas card lists in the world. More than 30,000 were sent last year to children.

Santa was unavailable for comment yesterday.

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