Mexican Santa? Usurper or Imbiber?

December 21st, 2006

We’re going to file this one under humor. The South African Independent Online is reporting, or re-reporting news from the Archdiocese of Guadalajara’s Semanario newspaper, that the Archodiocese is not happy with Santa’s habits around the holidays. According to the article the archdiocese is asking:

“What happened to his mitre, his sacred vestments and his consecrated hands blessing the devoted?” […] Today, he is represented “as a fat clown, with the chapped cheeks of a heavy beer drinker, the big stomach of a bon vivant, the nose of a drunk” and the “boots of a gendarme”, the article said.

The article concludes with quotes from a few children of the diocese who confirm that Santa has not replaced the true meaning of Christmas.

For the record, retirees to Mexico should be forewarned that in Mexican shopping malls one is far more likely to stricken by the relatively campy appearance of young men trying to depict the Three Kings of biblical lore. Shamefacedly making their way about shopping malls wearing long dresses and fake beards, it is they who hear the wishes of Mexican children and not any fat beer-guzzling Santa.