Ridi-Yule ...

A Christmas beer brewed by an Oxfordshire brewery has been banned in parts of the good 'ole USA because, on the label, is a picture of Father Christmas. Official loonies in New York State told the English brewers, Ridgeway, that the image on bottles of 'Santa's Butt' could encourage under-age drinking. Although the ban was challenged by the beer's American importer and lifted (all good chaps, we understand), it has now been imposed in the state of Maine.

Ridgeway say that the decision is "ridiculous". Ridgeway continued; "They said the label is attractive to children but you cannot go into a shop there that sells alcohol until you are 21." This is now the third time that Ridgeway has fallen foul of state authorities in the good 'ole USA. Last Christmas two of its beers - Seriously Bad Elf and Warm Welcome were banned in Connecticut on the same grounds.

So it has nothing to do with the fact that a large majority of American beer-guzzling males look like the pictured Santa?

Most boxes of Christmas Tree lights have some form of Santa-realted imagery upon them ... shouldn't they too be banned in case they attract underaged electricians?

This is all getting out of control ... next, they'll be saying we can't put up festive decorations because it'll upset the non-Christians. But how out-of-character would that be?

Stu