Christmas is here, and Santa's been making the headlines in lots of different ways. Here's just a few that we found. Ho ho ho!

Times are tough, even for Santa!
It's been a difficult season, and times are tough everywhere. We've all heard plenty about the situation in the automotive industry, and the federal government has come through with a financial aid lifeline  for the manufacturers, but did you know Santa also went to Congress begging for a holiday bailout?

In this video over at youtube, you can watch Santa and two of his elves as they petition a hostile committee for $25 billion in Federal assistance, saying that he and his workers just can't keep up with the selfish demands for expensive electronics. Poor Santa!

Have you wondered what would happen if car companies designed Santa's sleigh?
The editors at the British automobile magazine, Car, decided to find out, so they asked various leading designers at British car companies for their vision of Father Christmas's wheels... with intriguing results! Apparently, Bentley, Ford, Nissan, and Rolls-Royce all contributed designs. Click on the links below to see how their designers imagined they might build Santa's holiday ride, and read more details about their imaginative creations.

Ford submitted three designs based on their latest 'kinetic design' mantra, including one heavily  influenced by the upcoming new Fiesta. Paul Wraith's red Kuga-style sleigh  with pop-out silver snowboards features the gorgeous new vehicle design that we're eagerly anticipating to arrive Stateside for the 2010 model year. It also makes a great sleigh!

Martin Uhlarik penned Nissan's sleigh,  which is pulled not by reindeer but by  Nissan's popular new sportscar, the GT-R.

Rolls-Royce has created a rather stately design that crosses Greek temple-style architecture with the shape of some top-end speedboats. Looks comfortable, powerful, and fast!

Bentley's designers  penned a futuristic Santa Azure Sleigh complete with rifled tailpipes and an exposed Bentley Blitzen powerplant!

What if Rudolph is a Girl??
Betsy Blaney of the Associated Press says "There may be a perfectly good reason why Santa doesn't get lost on his annual Christmas globetrot: His flying reindeer just might be female and don't mind stopping for directions." According to an article we found at USAToday.com,   the gender of Rudolph and his or her sleigh-hauling friends is now being pondered by renowned wildlife experts at Texas A&M University.

"Santa's reindeers were really females, most likely," said Alice Blue-McLendon, a veterinary medicine professor specializing in deer, who points to the Rudolph's shiny red nose as part of her evidence. "Females like accessories," said Blue-McLendon, who in 2003 led the school's cloning of a white-tailed deer. "I think that fits because females like bling. We like shiny stuff." I know I do!

And besides, when you think about it, their names aren't necessarily masculine, either! Really, what rutting male would want to be called Dancer, Prancer, or Vixen? (creative commons image courtesy tristanf)

From all of us at AskPatty.com, we hope your holidays are safe and happy!

Jody DeVere
President and CEO
http://www.askpatty.com
http://www.carblabber.com