B.C. mall Santa gets the sack over ‘naughty’ photos
A beloved Santa Claus has been fired from his job at a Penticton mall for pictures he took on his own time while dressed in his costume.
Gary Haupt said he looks forward to acting as the jolly old elf around Penticton each year, attending charity events and working with children on the autism spectrum.
Last year, Haupt took on his first mall Santa job, a role that was renewed for this holiday season.
He had some fun with the role, occasionally getting requests from adults at the mall to take silly photos with him, including some who “wanted it to appear as having been spanked by Santa,” he said.
At the time, the event manager, Haupt and the photographer agreed that should no longer happen on mall property, while Haupt was being paid.
In the past week, however, Haupt posed for photos while dressed as Santa at his home.
In one, he’s reaching for a woman’s breasts. In another, he pretends to drink from a flask while he sits with a woman. The photos, which were posted on Facebook, were taken in fun, he said.
On Tuesday, Haupt was fired from his mall Santa job.
“They said: ‘We are really sorry to do this, but somebody has emailed the pictures and a complaint to the mall,’ ” he said.
Haupt was shocked and disappointed, and given no chance to appeal, he said. No one from the mall was immediately available for comment.
“I understand that people want to make a complaint if they feel strongly about something, but I think people should also be able to stand up and say: ‘That’s not our business.’ In the case of mall management, somebody should have had the courage to say: ‘What has that got to do with me?’ ” Haupt said.
Haupt’s partner, Sharon Nichols, subsequently posted the photos in question and an explanation of his firing to the Penticton Facebook group, and within an hour, it had nearly 200 posts mostly in support of Haupt, with some suggesting a boycott of the mall.