Some Cell Phone Users Truly Irk Santa

“Deck the malls with calls on cell phones. …:

These are the short-lived and often harried shopping days well before the Christmas deadline. All through the numerous malls bargain-hungry shoppers are scurrying wildly to be there for those important and penny pinching in store specials.

Their cell phones are nestled very tightly to their ears in the hopes that important and expected phone messages will always ring clear. Considering today’s economic situation you really can’t blame them for trying to get more bang for their buck.

Bargains are here. Sales are there. In their minds it is imperative that shoppers be immediately notified whenever Xmas specials appear. Keeping up with the Jone’s in this hyper competitive market requires many shoppers to have more than one cell phone on their person. The sounds of sleigh bells ringing and soul soothing Christmas music has been replaced by a screaming hodgepodge of cell phone tones and tunes, moans and groans. The tunes have all been expertly provided and engineered by cell phone manufacturers eager to placate their growing army of demanding users.

Not everyone however is especially thrilled by the increasing usage of cell phones. One group in particular, Rent-A-Santa , claims that many parents are actually “shoplifting Santa photos” whenever they use their cell phones to snap a picture of their children sitting on Santa Claus’ knee . The snapped photos are then instantly relayed to the family’s Face Book web site. The family has the pleasant memories of the little ones visiting Santa and Ole Saint Nick has the unpleasant task of shrugging off his money making photo opportunity. No ho ho ho there for sure.

Many professional Santa Clauses report an increase in the confrontational positions many outraged parents take when Santa staff members attempt to ban parents from taking cell phone picture-taking photographs. The parents feel they have the right to snap the photos. The Santas claim that they have been hired by the malls and stores to not only thrill little Bobby and Susie but also make money with the photo-op session. The cost of the photo is sometimes nominal. The sales ensure that Santa and his entourage will be at the mall for years to come.

Each group is adamant in its position. The parents are labeled thieves. The Santa brigade is touted as miserly and exploitative. The obvious spirit of giving and good cheer is subverted by commercialism and greed. To misquote the miserly Ebeneezer Scrooge “Christmas is a bother and a humbug!” It’s interesting to note that when they were asked the mall management sided with the parents and saw nothing wrong with the parents and grandparents capturing “an occasional freebie pic”.

Cell phones certainly do have an important and prominent place in our society. They allow us to instantaneously communicate with friends , family and loved ones. They should not however be transformed into a catalyst that turns the spirit of the season of love and giving into one of animosity and dissension. “Make it a Kodak moment” should not become the battle cry of parents versus Santa.

Merry Christmas to all ……….. and to all a goodnight!