maybe this is ok-- if the message will actually get across to the children.

"and for christmas i want a pony, a barbie, an elliptical machine . . ."
hmm. for some reason i don't see that one happening.

This is absurd.

There are better ways of sending the message to children vs slimming down ol' Saint Nick. I mean c'mon, he's suppose to have a bowl full of jelly...

Does anyone actually look at Santa and say "I want to look like that?" I don't really think kids look at Santa and think that because he's overweight, it's okay that a kid is.

The only reason I would say that this was a good thing would be because the guys playing Santa are getting healthier.

MALL SANTAS?
YOU MEAN SANTA DOESN'T EXIST? Waaaa!

This is pretty ridiculous... Santa was never obese or anything! Haha. Just chubby and jolly.

"Look at Santa! He's so skinny now! I want to be just like him!" I can really see that coming out of a kids mouth. I mean, who doesn't want to be like Santa! "sarcastic tone"

ugh. no, santa should stay jolly and chubby. he is NOT obese.

I think this is silly. And I'm not positive, but I don't think the guys who play the mall santas are overweight are they? I'm pretty sure they have a big old pillow in there or something?

Hmmm, this is stupid!

I also heard that people(I don't remember who) are trying to get Santa to forgo the whole "Ho, Ho, Ho" saying too. They want him to say "Ha, Ha, Ha" instead!

They think that saying Ho, Ho, Ho is derogatory towards women.

In my opinion, if you are offended by that, then you're a ho.

people are nuts. do kids go around trying to grow white beards??? no! wtf?

I think it's O.K.....just put some padding in the costume! That way the traditional image of Santa is still there, but the guys dressing up are healthier.

he's not supposed to be an example to kids, but more like a paternal/grandpa figure, with the white beard and all. And he's not supposed to be obese, just chubby! And like others say, I think most mall santas have pillows and not real belly fat

I truly don't think this issue is Santa-specific. I think we (internationally) should work to help everyone be healthy, lose weight, stop obesity, stop putting bad foods in the forefront. Santas can wear padding, no?

First of all, we should be teaching kids that uniqueness- in hair color, skin color, eye color and yes size- is important.
Secondly, we should stress health, not weight or "thin-ness". I don't think Santa should lose a few. He's happy the way he is!

Santa should lose a few for his personal health reasons.

LOL @ laura Ho HO HOO!

that's just going a bit too far...

people need to lose a few not some mascot of mythological creation

I think we are putting too much pressure on the santas this year. i also heard that santas are not allowed to say ho ho ho anymore?!?!?! Now they have to say ha ha ha. and lose weight... it seems to me this is not in the spirit of christmas. our children are going to know a different santa then we did... a laughing skinny one.

No one should be FORCED to lose weight. I'm amazed you don't LOVE this idea Fit because it sounds like something you would come up with.

Political correctness sometimes goes TOO far and this is a good example. Who the heck cares if Santa is fat?? If they really wanted to be accurate, they should have Santa dress in the traditional suit...Santa was originally a tall slender old guy wearing a winter cloak until a cartoonist drew a figure that was chubby and wore a red suit. Then THAT became Santa to America. And for cryin' out loud, the whole "Ho ho ho" thing is so ridiculous. Some people actually laugh like that; do we go around telling them to stop?

I think the problem with this is not that the malls are mandating how their Santas should look, but that they are mandating the weight-loss for the health of the Santas, but because they think it will change the behavior of children. Even a child has overweight parents who do not teach their child about health and nutrition, whether or not Santa is overweight is not going to make any difference.

I think this is really silly. It's Santa! No one is looking at Santa and thinking about the fact that he's overweight.

Yeah, 'cause Santa's the one making us all fat!

Ridiculous. This reminds me of The Cookie Monster not eating cookies anymore. I'm all for keeping children healthy, but I believe there's a line between health and having kids have that self conscious moment when they realize that they can't be "fat." I think parent should just try to instill healthy values by eating healthy themselves and serving healthy meals. I think the whole "don't eat too many cookies" mentality takes away from the happy innocence of being a kid.

Ummm I think it's their choice haha!
It's not like my work is saying "loose weight", so I think it's a little unfair for the Santas having to loose weight.
BUT healthcare is different in Britan (if you have seen Sicko) and that might be the reason why...

I think most mall Santas have another career...they're probably don't stay fat on purpose to be like Santa. So this is ridiculous...if they're fat, it's because they don't exercise. Maybe the malls should make all employees do this...nost just Santa. But, I agree...Santa is supposed to be jolly!

ya'll, how is he supposed to stay skinny when he goes on a 12 hour cookie binge each year? he's gotta stretch his stomach to get all of them in!

We give Santa cookies every year so that he can build up a layer of blubber. Santa needs his blubber to stay warm during the winter @the North Pole. Leave him alone.