In Ohio, Spuds took St. Nick over...

In Ohio, Spuds took St. Nick over the side with him. Ohio liquor officials ordered all Santa Claus decorations removed from state liquor stores following a similar order last week involving beer cartons showing the dog Spuds MacKenzie dressed as Santa. The state Department of Liquor Control offered this explanation: A liquor store in Columbus had callers asking why Santa decorations were OK but Spuds wasn’t. Finding it difficult to explain, officials decided to ban them both. A state regulation prohibits liquor advertisements from portraying any picture or reference to Santa Claus. The department last week granted St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch Inc. a stay of the order affecting 12-packs of Bud Light and store displays that use a photo of the bull terrier Spuds MacKenzie in red coat and cap.