This cartoon by Kipper Williams from The Guardian relates to news that supermarket chain ASDA has opened a string of Santa's grottos at stores across Britain. A spokesperson for ASDA said the grottos were designed to encourage people to start saving for the festive season. Staff dressed as elves have been handing out Christmas savings cards. Read more >>
The cartoon shows Santa with his long white beard relaxing on a sun lounger somewhere near the sea. He's wearing sunglasses, red and white polka dot bathing trunks, and a bobble hat. A reindeer hands him his mobile phone, saying, "It's ASDA" (obviously, they want Santa to interrupt his holiday to go and work in their grotto).
COMMENT
This story attracted over 150 comments on the Guardian website, so it's obviously something people feel strongly about. It's true that Christmas does seem to come earlier each year in the UK.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Should we ban all Christmas decorations in shops before December 1st?
• Has the spirit of Christmas been ruined by consumerism?
• Why do people have this obession with Christmas?
ALSO SEE
• Only 117 days until Christmas! Asda open a string of Santa's grottos in stores across the country FOUR MONTHS before the day (Mail Online)
