The Cape Town man whose complaint led to the banning of a Post Office ad inviting children to write to Father Christmas says he was acting in the true spirit of Christmas.
”I’m trying to keep alive the sentiment and spirit of Christmas,” freelance journalist Andrew October said on Thursday.
”The Post Office is commercialising and trying to cash in on the spirit of Christmas. Christmas is about giving and sharing, and the Post Office is not in that spirit.”
The Advertising Standards Authority this week ruled in favour of October’s complaint about a Post Office television commercial giving children an address to write to Santa Claus with requests for presents.
October said in his complaint that unless the Post Office intended to give the children the gifts they were asking for, the commercial should be canned. He said on Thursday that he saw the advertisement over breakfast one morning.
”Afterwards when I was walking to the station, it struck me that the ad was actually quite cruel.”
Children would be ”hurt and betrayed” because the Post Office did not suggest that they include a return address, and clearly did not intend to honour any of the requests. October said he was ”all for the spirit of Christmas”, and had no objection to the idea of youngsters writing to Santa Claus.
He had in fact suggested that either the advertisement should encourage children to supply a return address, to allow the Post Office to contact parents or guardians, or that a foundation such as the Reach For a Dream organisation, be set up to meet their wishes. October said he himself did not write to Father Christmas as a child.
”But I do remember sitting up and watching the stars, and trying to see Santa’s sleigh.
”The thing is, Santa is alive and well. That’s what I’d like every kid to believe. We need to keep that belief alive by at least trying to be that Santa for the kids.” – Sapa