All illustrations by Delonas NYpost 

 Santas across Sydney are rebelling against attempts to ban their traditional greeting of “ho, ho, ho” in favour of “ha, ha, ha”.

Recruitment firm Westaff - which supplies hundreds of Santas across the country - has told its trainees that the “ho ho ho” phrase could frighten children and could even be derogatory to women.  DT

 US holiday sales see brisk start

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The holiday shopping season seen as crucial for US economic momentum got off to a robust start as consumers shrugged off worries about high fuel prices and weak housing, surveys showed.

The research firm ShopperTrak RCT said sales for November 23, the so-called Black Friday that traditionally marks the start of the holiday retail season, jumped 8.3 percent to a preliminary total of 10.3 billion dollars.

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 25 — When the 12,000 members of the Writers Guild of America decided on Nov. 4 to strike, Hollywood wondered how hard the white-collar group would fight. The guild addressed the worry before the first pickets hit the streets. NYT

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