What Does The Perfect Mall Santa Look Like?

Santa is always front of mind during the holiday season — especially when his impersonators head to shopping centers to jot down local youngsters' wish lists. But mall Santa Scott Diethorne has sparked controversy after his tattooed appearance and goofy poses were deemed too naughty by management.

Diethorne is a Christmas staple at Langhorne's Oxford Valley Mall, where he's known for turning kids upside down for photos (upon request) and flaunting "naughty" and "nice" arm tattoos, reports Philly.com. But this year, managers have asked Santa Scott to cover his ink and stick to more traditional poses, sparking instant backlash from his loyal fans who are wondering: Why can't this beloved mall Santa let his unique personality shine through?

In a statement to Patch.com, Cherry Hill Programs — which heads up the mall's Santa operation — said this: “During this special time of year, we are focused on delivering a magical holiday experience. We remain dedicated to preserving the tradition and image of Santa with authentic holiday visits for every guest to our programs. We uphold the magic of the one and only Santa for all believers, by providing a consistent approach at every experience we operate, not just Oxford Valley Mall. ” (More below.)

TELL US: Do you think putting restrictions on Santa Scott will ensure holiday cheer or kill it? Let us know in the comments, and as always, please keep it civil.

This isn't the first time a mall Christmas experience has been criticized for breaking with tradition. In 2015, some shoppers at Menlo Park Mall in Edison, New Jersey were outraged after the shopping center's usual Christmas display was replaced by what they said looked like a "strip club."

Backlash against a similar display that year at Southpark Mall in Charlotte, North Carolina led Simon Malls to replace it entirely, and Simon Malls President David Contis told the Charlotte Observer it was a "mistake" that needed to be corrected.

But other malls in the country seem to be embracing the notion of a less-traditional Santa. For the past few years, the Pioneer Place shopping center in Portland, Oregon has delighted shoppers with Hipster Santa, who sports a fashion-forward sweater, pierced ears and a man bun. He also has "Naughty" and "Nice" tattoos that look very similar to Santa Scott's.

Guess who's back?! Hipster Santa (and his man bun) will be making appearances at @ShopAtPioneer on Thursdays starting TONIGHT. Who's taking advantage of this photo op?pic.twitter.com/87ASQWolSu
— Downtown Portland (@inDowntownPDX) November 17, 2017

Since learning that Santa Scott had been asked to tone down his appearance this year, many of his fans have taken to Facebook, urging their community to take a stand against the company's harsh restrictions and support Diethorne as he continues to work at the mall:

Diethorne, whose day job is driving trucks, loves his side gig as Santa Claus so much that he got permission to take off Tuesdays through Sundays during the holiday season. His daughter, Megan Greene, doesn't think his new limitations will make him leave his favorite job. And with mall Santas raking in anywhere from $10,000 to $60,000 during the holiday season according to Business Insider, we'd probably keep our gig too!

Still, Greene's statements about her father make us think he's in it for way more than just the money. “He wants to make everyone happy,” she told Philly.com, adding, “I feel like his happiest time of the year is Christmas.”

Photo: Dave Weaver/AP