The original story about this swept the net so here is the sequel:
"Santas have had the last laugh on bosses wanting to replace the "Ho, ho, ho" greeting with "Ha, ha, ha". Recruitment firm Westaff, which supplies hundreds of Santas for events around Australia, has backed down from its ban on the traditional greeting following a backlash from employees.
The company wanted to ban "Ho, ho, ho" for fear it might scare some of the children. A Myer spokesman said store management believed the expression was an important Christmas tradition.
Source
There was some suggestion that the term was originally banned because it was seen as a reference to the black American usage of "Ho". But that usage is unknown in Australia. A prostitute is usually referred to in Australia as a "Pro". So if you want to refer to yourself as a "Professional" in Australia, don't abbreviate it!
