No space for Santa in Austerity Christmas: 'Red-faced symbol of over-indulgence' is banished from the Radio Times

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 06:50 EST, 5 December 2011

Santa Claus is a universal symbol of celebration and good will.

And that's the problem - at a time of austerity, many of us are finding it hard to get into the festive spirit.

Now Father Christmas has been banished from the nation's newsstands - so as not to upset cash-strapped families who can't afford presents this year.

Radio Times have dropped the iconic figure from the front cover of their Christmas edition, for the first time in nearly a decade.

Austerity: Santa Claus is nowhere to be seen on the cover of the Radio Times

Austerity: Santa Claus is nowhere to be seen on the cover of the Radio Times

The TV listings bible said it wanted to reflect the nation’s current mood by banishing Santa, a 'symbol of the boom years'.

Instead the Radio Times has opted for a 'festive flowing illustration' of a Christmas tree, which it feels better reflects the tough economic climate by 'harking back to simpler times'.

'This is going to be a difficult Christmas for many people and we have tried a cover that’s nostalgic and makes people feel warm,' said the magazine’s editor, Ben Preston.

'For many years Santa has been a cheery fixture of our legendary Christmas double-issue... but somehow that didn’t feel right this year.

'Would Father Christmas be seen as a bloated, red-faced symbol of over-indulgence?

'At a time when so many people are hunkering down with friends and family and turning their backs on extravagant gift-giving, we wanted something different.'

(Radio) Times gone by: A jolly Father Christmas has graced previous covers

(Radio) Times gone by: A jolly Father Christmas has graced previous covers

This year’s front cover has been illustrated by artist Kate Forrester, whose other work includes commissions for John Lewis, Tiffany and Penguin Books.

According to Mr Preston, the red and green cover is 'nostalgic and beautiful, to lift the spirits in troubled times'.

It won’t be the first time Santa has been ditched as the cover star during times of austerity.

Following the infamous Black Wednesday in 1992 he was replaced with a snowman. And he also disappeared from the Christmas cover when the dotcom bubble burst in the early 2000s.

But the magazine’s sensitive approach hasn’t stopped bosses from increasing the price of the Christmas edition by 4.2 per cent.

This year’s edition goes on sale from Wednesday and costs £2.50, up from the £2.40 charged last year.

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