American Santas plunged into civil war

[bijou]

Rival Santa Claus leaders have been engaged in a decidedly unfestive power struggle that has polarised the lucrative US grotto market and forced hundreds of Father Christmases to choose between warring rival groups.

The hostilities have spilled on to the internet, in this case Elf Net, an online chat group where Santas go to exchange information on belt supplies and beard dyeing.

Organisers of the annual convention in Kansas of the Amalgamated Order of Real-Bearded Santas, fear it will be disrupted by splitters from rival groups such as the Fraternal Order and the Red Suit Society.

The trouble started last year with a row on the board of the Amalgamated Santas, a 700-member group which was set up in 1994 by 10 Santas doing a television commercial in Hollywood.

Tim Connaghan, the organisation's chief, was forced out after a rival board member, Nick Trolli, accused him of unethical behaviour by acting as a booking agent for 200 members hired for Christmas events and taking a $25,000 consultancy free from a film company.

Mr Trolli took over but he also proved controversial, expelling some 20 members for offences that included maligning fellow Santas on Elf Net.

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I hope this is resolved soon and they don't start sleighing each other.

[Wretched Excess]

santas are unionized?

[Miss Mia]

I'm sure they're making a list of who's naughty and who's nice.

[Chris_]

Rival Santa Claus leaders have been engaged in a decidedly unfestive power struggle that has polarised the lucrative US grotto market and forced hundreds of Father Christmases to choose between warring rival groups.

The hostilities have spilled on to the internet, in this case Elf Net, an online chat group where Santas go to exchange information on belt supplies and beard dyeing.

Organisers of the annual convention in Kansas of the Amalgamated Order of Real-Bearded Santas, fear it will be disrupted by splitters from rival groups such as the Fraternal Order and the Red Suit Society.

The trouble started last year with a row on the board of the Amalgamated Santas, a 700-member group which was set up in 1994 by 10 Santas doing a television commercial in Hollywood.

Tim Connaghan, the organisation's chief, was forced out after a rival board member, Nick Trolli, accused him of unethical behaviour by acting as a booking agent for 200 members hired for Christmas events and taking a $25,000 consultancy free from a film company.

Mr Trolli took over but he also proved controversial, expelling some 20 members for offences that included maligning fellow Santas on Elf Net.

...

link

I hope this is resolved soon and they don't start sleighing each other.

It would seem the issue is quite polarizing. 

That said, their real anger is that Boooosh is melting the north polar ice cap.   

[franksolich]

Santas and clowns aren't all they're made up to be.

In a small town (circa 1500 people) out here on the eastern edge of the Sandhills of Nebraska, there is a world-famous "Clown Festival" that draws thousands from all over the United States.

Two years ago, a bunch of the clowns, still attired in their red round noses and floppy shoes, went to the local VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) club for a pick-me-up from the intensely hot weather.

Many of them had too much, and some sort of fracas evolved.  The local policemen tried dealing with it, but got beat up, after which the county sheriff's staff was called in.  They couldn't deal with it either, and so the state patrol was asked for assistance.  It ultimately required 17 law-enforcement personnel to put it down.

I was not there, but the image remains fixed in the mind; all these Bozo the Clowns brawling and fisticuffing, making real bruises and drawing much blood and snapping many bones.

[Wretched Excess]

I'm sure they're making a list of who's naughty and who's nice.

yeah, but I am also sure that they are protecting incompetent naughtiness, and make-work niceness.  both of which, of course, totally ruin the while whole point of those behaviors in the first place.

[Chris_]

Santas and clowns aren't all they're made up to be.

In a small town (circa 1500 people) out here on the eastern edge of the Sandhills of Nebraska, there is a world-famous "Clown Festival" that draws thousands from all over the United States.

Two years ago, a bunch of the clowns, still attired in their red round noses and floppy shoes, went to the local VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) club for a pick-me-up from the intensely hot weather.

Many of them had too much, and some sort of fracas evolved.  The local policemen tried dealing with it, but got beat up, after which the county sheriff's staff was called in.  They couldn't deal with it either, and so the state patrol was asked for assistance.  It ultimately required 17 law-enforcement personnel to put it down.

I was not there, but the image remains fixed in the mind; all these Bozo the Clowns brawling and fisticuffing, making real bruises and drawing much blood and snapping many bones.

Sounds like a real circus.

[Wretched Excess]

bad santa, by the way, was a killer flick.

[asdf2231]

[Miss Mia]

I'm sure they're making a list of who's naughty and who's nice.

yeah, but I am also sure that they are protecting incompetent naughtiness, and make-work niceness.  both of which, of course, totally ruin the while whole point of those behaviors in the first place.

Mrs Claus may need to check up on their work.

[DixieBelle]

Santas rock. Clowns? Not so much. Creepy evil bastards.