We understood it to be well established (at least since 1897 and the New York Sun’s reply to Virginia’s letter) that there is indeed a Santa Claus.

Unfortunately, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office seems intent on ignoring this important fact. Paragraph 12(1)(a) of the Trade-marks Act specifically provides that a trademark is not registrable if it is “primarily merely the name or the surname of an individual who is living”.

However, our recent visit to the CIPO website reveals at least three registrations for SANTA CLAUS – for use in association with “soaps of all kinds”, “ribbons, bows, gift wrapping papers and paper tableware” and, of all things, “ornamental plants”. The existence of these registrations suggests that CIPO considers St. Nick to be a fictional character rather than a living person.

We are pleased to note that two other SANTA CLAUS trademark registrations have been expunged (for use in association with “ice cream” and “soaps, detergents and toilet preparations”) but interested to learn that Coca-Cola has gone so far as to trademark a picture of the jolly old elf.

Of course, it is now seven years since the USPTO created a stir by allowing one Stephen Bottomley (a Brit, no less) to register SANTA CLAUS on their database.

We’ll have to wait and see whether Santa Claus commences proceedings for the unauthorized use of his name and likeness. Of course, Santa could always move to Australia, where they have not yet gone so far as to register his entire name (although there is a SURFING SANTA and a SWINGING SANTA). But then again – Australia has no snow in December.