THE traditional Christmas family souvenir is under threat with parents and child protection advocates arguing Santas lap should be off limits to kids.

Child protection activist Hetty Johnston this week backed the concerns of Queensland parents worried the time had come to stop their children sitting on the lap of shopping centre Santas for Christmas photos.

What we would like to see is shopping centre owners updating their child protection policies, Ms Johnston said.

The directive would be for children to stand beside Santa, unless parents or children request to sit on his knee. Shopping centres have duty of care to protect children on premises.

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So how far is too far? For those who don't want to read that article, basically some parents and activists want to ban children from sitting on Santa's lap, for safety concerns. Instead they want for protocol to be to stand beside Santa.

Personally I think this is a joke, not once have I heard of sitting on Santa's lap being a problem. I think parents these days overreact like there's no tomorrow and wrap their children in cotton wool.
When is it going to stop? What will society be like in 20 years time? Will our children be allowed to do anything?
What do you all think?