After supper I turned on the TV and settled in for a quiet evening. What did I see? It was Santa Claus in his workshop chopping up DVD’s, cell phones, and toys with a long-handled ax. An elf came into the workshop and exclaimed, “Santa stop! They said they wished for all the prices to be chopped!” Santa stopped, turned, and uttered two expletives right there on TV for all the children in America to hear!

I’m madder than a wet hen about this, It’s completely unforgivable. Children are exposed to violence and all manner of potty mouth from everything and everywhere. We teach them that it’s not OK to use that language no matter what. They learn from us and they believe us. But now we might as well thrown our teaching out the window because the big guy in the red suit that brings all the toys talks potty mouth. So obviously mom and dad are wrong, After all, he’s Santa Claus — the epitome of a good guy.

The department store responsible for this ad is one that I’ve had issues with before. They should remove this ad and give an apology to America’s families. But realistically, I can’t see that happening anytime soon.

Most important is the effect on our children. Little ones are extremely impressionable. Now they’re seeing Santa talking trash. Hey, if it’s OK for Santa, it’s OK for me too! Can’t you hear their little minds saying that? So when this happens at your house, and it will happen, forget the 10-minute timeout. That won’t work anymore, the damage has been done. And the culprit is, of all people, Santa Claus.

For some time I’ve felt like our integrity and morals are in serious decline, and if this episode doesn’t prove that, I don’t know what does.

Dottie Flaugher

Wilmington