December 18, 2006
Make Sure Santa Gives Gifts, Not Lawsuits
When Santa comes down the chimney, he can't help but drink the milk and eat the cookies kids leave out for him. Sadly, in this litigious age, he may leave behind one extra Christmas present -- a fat lawsuit for contributing to his bowl-full-of-jelly gut.
Click here to download our "Christmas Cookie Liability and Indemnification Agreement."
It's not like there aren't lawyers who would take up Santa's case, either. Last month we told you about the latest obesity litigation conference held by the Public Health Advocacy Institute, a cabal of lawyers who would love to give food companies and restaurants the tobacco lawsuit treatment.
Want to keep subpoenas out of your stockings? Make sure that St. Nick's John Hancock gets on our Christmas Cookie Liability and Indemnification Agreement before you let him anywhere near the holiday treats. With this waiver, you and yours are covered against:
- Failure to provide nutritional information and a list of ingredients (the "Grandma's secret recipe" clause);
- Failure to caution of the potential for overeating because cookies taste "yummy" and are provided at no cost;
- Failure to advise that walking, biking, and jogging will shed pounds, but riding around on a reindeer-powered sleigh will not;
- Failure to warn that Christmas lights, lawn ornaments (plastic reindeer, snowmen, etc.) and other holiday decorations may constitute manipulative marketing to lure Santa into over-consumption;
- Failure to offer "healthier" cookie alternatives (e.g., tofu bars or carob blobs);
- Failure to affix warning labels acknowledging that milk, should it be provided, must not be consumed if Santa is, or could possibly be, lactose intolerant; and
- Failure to notify that eating too many cookies and not exercising may lead to even greater levels of obesity for St. Nick.
Click here to download the Agreement, and may your Christmas be merry and litigation-free.
