# Why does Santa say "Ho Ho Ho"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 16, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103 "2004-11-16T19:31:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/1 "2004-11-16T19:31:15Z")
No really. Why “Ho! Ho! Ho!” and not some other phrase? My daughter asked me this and I’m stymied. Why **does** Santa say ‘Ho! Ho! Ho!’?" Apparently no one else does. I’m interested in both quick witty rejoinders and scholarly research. I thought this might quickly move into opinion, so I picked this forum. I’m flexible if there’s a better locale. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/2 "2004-11-16T19:49:01Z")
Because he’s jolly? ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/3 "2004-11-16T19:49:27Z")
It’s meant to be a laugh. You know, jolly old elf and all that. You run across ho as an exclamation or expression of amusement in 19th century books fairly regularly, as opposed to ha. It’s just an anachronism that has never changed because, well, Santa doesn’t keep pace with the modern world. Everything about him is an anachronism. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/4 "2004-11-16T19:50:40Z")
Hell, have you seen the way those female elves dress these days??? ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/5 "2004-11-16T19:56:07Z")
I think it’s because he’s jolly. If he went around saying “ha ha ha,” people would think he was laughing at them. If he said “har har har,” people would think he was a pirate. If he said “hoo hoo hoo,” people would think he was an owl. If he said “ni, ni, ni” then he would definitely be in the wrong movie. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/6 "2004-11-16T20:10:22Z")
What’s red & white, stands on a corner, and says, “Ho, ho, ho!”?Santa pimp. ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/7 "2004-11-16T20:21:03Z")
I’m not sure which is worse (better?). Santa as a pirate, Santa torturing old women by saying “Ni,” or Santa as pimp. Please, sir (ma’am), may I have some more? ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/8 "2004-11-16T20:29:05Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > I think it’s because he’s jolly. > > If he went around saying “ha ha ha,” people would think he was laughing at them. > > If he said “har har har,” people would think he was a pirate. > > If he said “hoo hoo hoo,” people would think he was an owl. > > If he said “ni, ni, ni” then he would definitely be in the wrong movie. What if he said “Haw Haw Haw”? ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/9 "2004-11-16T20:31:55Z")
> [@Joe K](#): > > What if he said “Haw Haw Haw”? He might be mistaken for a large, unruly Hell’s Angel in a Santa suit. ---
**Author:** ![N.Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f19dbf/32.png) [@N.Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N.Sane)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/10 "2004-11-16T20:48:44Z")
C’mon–haven’t any of you watched _Santa Claus is Coming to Town_? The seals taught him to laugh a robust, hearty, “ho ho ho!” ---
**Author:** ![Arch\_Trout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Arch\_Trout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arch_Trout)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/11 "2004-11-16T20:56:07Z")
The Green Giant says “Ho ho ho” as well. His reasons are probably to do with excessive sweetcorn consumption. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/12 "2004-11-16T21:03:53Z")
> [@as\_u\_wish](#): > > Why does Santa say “Ho Ho Ho”? Because we just wouldn’t respect him if he said “Tee Hee.” ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/13 "2004-11-16T21:22:09Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > What’s red & white, stands on a corner, and says, “Ho, ho, ho!”?Santa pimp. What Goes “Ho Ho Ho” _Plop!_ ? Santa Claus laughing his head off! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/14 "2004-11-16T22:45:31Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > > [@Joe K](#): > > > > What if he said “Haw Haw Haw”? > > He might be mistaken for a large, unruly Hell’s Angel in a Santa suit. Or an escapee from a Chick tract. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/15 "2004-11-16T23:57:25Z")
Because if you stood on a street corner ringing a bell all day all you’d see would be Ho! Ho! Ho! **Lute Skywatcher** _snort_ That’s gonna get told a lot this year. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/16 "2004-11-17T00:38:35Z")
People often say “Ho. Ho. Ho.” as though it’s three individual words that should be pronounced as they are spelled. But they really just represent a jolly robust laugh, and should be uttered as such. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/17 "2004-11-17T01:34:13Z")
> [@Arch Trout](#): > > The Green Giant says “Ho ho ho” as well. > His reasons are probably to do with excessive sweetcorn consumption. Ever notice how you never see The Green Giant and Santa Claus together at the same time? ::::::shifty eyes::::::::::::: I’m just saying…its all suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/18 "2004-11-17T01:36:42Z")
Because he drives along Sunset Blvd. > [@](#): > > Ever notice how you never see The Green Giant and Santa Claus together at the same time? > ::::::shifty eyes::::::::::::: > I’m just saying…its all suspicious. Yeah, and you never see him with the Devil. Hmm… Anagram of ‘Satan’, dresses in red like Satan… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/19 "2004-11-17T01:51:10Z")
And green is the opposite of red… :: glances around :: ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103/20 "2004-11-17T01:56:44Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Because he drives along Sunset Blvd. > Yeah, and you never see him with the Devil. Hmm… Anagram of ‘Satan’, dresses in red like Satan… Who would work to take the focus away from the baby Jesus on his birthday? Hmmm, I don’t know… could it be… maybe… _SATAN_?? [/Church Lady] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-santa-say-ho-ho-ho/275103.md?page=2)