You may believe there's a little bit of Santa Claus in all of us, as long as we keep the spirit of the Christmas season alive in our hearts. If you do, you better not mention that to Disney, because according to the BBC, some of the company's mouse-eared bah-humbuggers are claiming that Disney owns Santa.
When James Worley paid a visit to Disney World in Florida his portly frame and white beard soon had kids asking: “Are you Santa Claus?”
Not wanting to disappoint, Mr Worley, 60, played along with some “ho-ho-hos”.
But Disney officials descended, telling him to stop the impersonation or get out of the park. They said they wanted to preserve the magic of Santa.
Mr Worley took off his red hat and red shirt but said: “I look this way 24/7, 365 days a year. This is me.”
'Confusing'
Even after bowing to the request to alter his appearance, Mr Worley, from Tampa, said children continued to ask if he was Santa.
“How do you tell a little kid, 'No, go away, little kid',” Mr Worley told local television.
He said Disney had told him “Santa was considered a Disney character”.
So, if you resemble a jolly old elf— broad face (cheeks like roses, nose like a cherry, beard white as snow), with a round, little belly that shakes like a bowl of jelly when you laugh– best to steer clear of any place designated The Happiest Place on Earth for the next week or so. Perhaps Santa can be found everywhere there are people of goodwill, but those Happiest Places have their own police forces, and lawyers more fearsome than any villain in a Rankin/Bass Christmas special.
