Survey asks how many Brits would accept a black or gay Santa

And other stories from the stranger side of life

A YouGov survey has found that 50% of Brits would be open to the idea of an ethnic minority Santa. There was less support, however, for a female or a gay Santa, with only 27% and 39% finding such a prospect palatable. An advert recently released by the Norwegian postal service showed Father Christmas kissing a man, 50 years after homosexuality was decriminalised in the country.

Longest running Santa school honoured

A US school dedicated to preparing people to portray Santa has been named the world’s longest-running institution of its kind by Guinness World Records. The Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School, founded in October 1937, has been operating continuously for 84 years. Its Clausesque curriculum includes how to properly dress as Santa, how to sing and dance to Christmas music, how to make toys in a workshop and how to ride a sleigh.

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Space agencies ‘should join 62-mile high club’

Nasa has been encouraged to do more to encourage the study of sex in space with its astronauts. A new study has also called on the UK Space Agency to start exploring “space sexology”, which is defined as the scientific study of extraterrestrial intimacy. The Daily Star said boffins want to help saucy space travellers join the “62-mile high club”.

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