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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think that Clintons are stereotyping council estate residents with this Christmas card.

96 replies

Darkesteyes · 07/12/2014 00:50

Just seen this on Twitter. I think its bloody hateful tbh.

www.clintoncards.co.uk/christmas/christmas-cards/council-estate-santa-clause-christmas-card

OP posts:
coldwater1 · 07/12/2014 05:35

I've always lived on council estates, i don't find it offensive but i also don't find it funny.

blackcats73 · 07/12/2014 05:42

I've lived on council estates and don't find it offensive or funny . Seriously , pick your battles people . You're just giving a unfunny card more publicity.Confused

toomuchtooold · 07/12/2014 05:57

I grew up on a council estate. I find it a bit offensive but I wouldn't care about that if it was actually funny, but it's a bit shite. Santa has a sleigh pulled by wild animals. Yeah, and? Get your stereotypes right Clintons, it's supposed to be all dangerous dogs on council estates. (Which as an ex-postie makes me laugh because on my run there were countless big, nice friendly Staffies/crosses and the only dogs I was actually scared of were a well-bred but badly trained cocker spaniel and a border collie, both of which were from the "bought hooses".)

Just reading it again actually and it's laughable for all the wrong reasons. "He wears the same, out-of-fashion clothes everyday and never washes them! He uses loads of different names and aliases purely for his own gain!" it sounds like some wee 12 year old public schoolboy trying to impress his older friends by taking the piss out of poor people. "And then they... they... put on, like, the telly and watch Eastenders right, and one of them is pregnant but she's only 15, and one of the dogs has done the toilet on the carpet and they just leave it there!"

Balanced12 · 07/12/2014 06:35

Very poor taste IMO

Altinkum · 07/12/2014 06:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LineRunner · 07/12/2014 06:41

I just don't find it funny. A bit too Jim Davidson for me.

zoemaguire · 07/12/2014 06:46

It certainly isn't funny. And by the by, who the hell do Clinton's employ to do their graphic design? It looks like it was done by an 8 yo trying out new fonts and clip art on the family computer!

sashh · 07/12/2014 07:11

I'm not really offended by it since none of the stereotypes apply to me

You are mistaken, this card is saying everyone on a council estate has a criminal record, gets dodgy designer gear and never works.

It is laughing at you and saying you are worthless, it is not saying every council estate has a person like this.

And BTW I do live on a council estate

StrychnineStew · 07/12/2014 07:11

YANBU, it is part of the "chav bashing" du jour Sad

Teeb · 07/12/2014 07:22

Toomuch I think you've got it, it's generally just really crap. It's not witty or satirical, just badly poking fun.

waithorse · 07/12/2014 07:53

I also thought of Bill and Hillary. Blush

ScrambledEggAndToast · 07/12/2014 07:54

It wouldn't open, would anyone care to enlighten me?!

SuperMumTum · 07/12/2014 08:01

I think it's already been withdrawn. The link is down.

arlagirl · 07/12/2014 08:06

scouseadelic I love those Northerner cards. I'm from the north too.

chantico · 07/12/2014 08:06

I'm pretty sure it's as old as the hills and has been on a card and in crackers before.

AuntieStella · 07/12/2014 08:09

Here's a link to a non Clintons page which is showing the card.

I think it's a many times recycled old chestnut too, and agree about the quality of the graphic design.

meltedmonterayjack · 07/12/2014 08:18

Not funny or clever imo. There are a lot of people on my estate that would fit this description. The ones I know have had a really shit deal in life - abusive parents/partners, mental health issues, learning difficulties and little support to reach their full potential etc. There are some flats that from the outside look filthy and uncared for. I feel sad that so many people live here because they have been dealt a bad hand in life and for whatever reason are unable to get past that and make their lives better.

I hope the card is banned.

AliceinWinterWonderland · 07/12/2014 08:26

To be fair, it's poorly written anyway... I hate seeing council estates maligned in such a way, but they're also maligning poor Father Christmas, which I find appalling.

Cover message
10 reasons why
Santa Clause must live on a council estate...
Inside message

  1. He Has a serial record for breaking and entering! actually as people are welcoming him into their home it's not B&E, and as far as I know he's not been arrested for B&E - unless you count the film The Santa Clause
  1. He uses various wild animals to pull his sleigh his own reindeer? that counts as various wild animals? pffft!
  1. He only works once a year no, he delivers the toys once a year - he works all year long at the North Pole
  1. He's never actually been seen doing any work in his whole life really? first of all, isn't his sleigh ride tracked on NORAD? So obviously he IS seen working. And secondly, I assume that as he is the "head elf" that he is upper management, thus the fruits of his labour would be that the toys are all delivered every year
  1. He drinks alcohol during working hours again, only once a year - the rest of the year he could be teetotal for all we know. And let's be honest, you don't know that he's not pouring that booze left out for him down the sink as he's too polite to leave it untouched

6.He barely leaves his home for fear of being recognised we don't know this either. Perhaps he has a very good disguise and is walking among us on a regular basis! I saw a man at the supermarket last week that I had to stop and look twice at because he looked just like Father Christmas! Xmas Grin

  1. He wears the same, out-of-fashion clothes everyday and never washes them He wears the red suit once a year, but how do we know he wears it all year, every day? And out of fashion?? I'd say once a year that suit is pretty IN fashion. And never washes them? Again, really? Bit of an assumption that!
  1. He uses loads of different names and aliases purely for his own gain! a lot of those names were given to him by OTHERS, so more like nicknames than aliases IMO, and certainly not purely for his own gain. What does he gain by various people knowing him by different names?
  1. He gets letters from lot of people, all demanding that he owes them things! technically speaking they are not saying he "owes" them things, but they are ASKING for things, which he then gives to them. It's hardly a summons from small claims court! Very different scenario!
  1. He can get hold of all the latest designer gear but never pays a penny for it! never pays a penny for it? I grew up being told the elves made these things (I assume they acquire the technology by special license or something). As I've never heard of Father Christmas being hauled before a tribunal for employment issues, I imagine he pays the elves fairly.
Xmas Grin
FrauHelgaMissMarpleandaChuckle · 07/12/2014 08:29

Shock just Shock

Seems clintons have withdrawn it, but the issue, for me, is the fact is was on sale in their store in the first place.

waithorse · 07/12/2014 08:36

Yeah, I also couldn't get the link to work. Have they taken it down ? Link does say, my bad though ! Angry

justmummyof2 · 07/12/2014 08:47

Go Alice You are a hero!
That should be sent to Clintons... Please, please email it to them and let us know the response!

usualsuspectsparkly3 · 07/12/2014 08:51

I live on a council estate,I don't think it's funny.

usualsuspectsparkly3 · 07/12/2014 08:56

I expect the posters who find it funny are the ones who post that certain names are 'chavvy' on the MN baby names threads.

LumpySpacedPrincess · 07/12/2014 08:57

That's just nasty, not funny.

Rebecca2014 · 07/12/2014 09:01

Oh damn they already taken it down!! It did sound offensive, I bet the right posh snobs were all having a right giggle writing it.