Giant Auckland Santa ‘is not creepy’, says South’s new owner

The new owner of the giant Auckland Santa hopes it will eventually get rid of its “creepy” label.

The 5-ton, 18-meter-high Christmas decoration, which spent 60 years encouraging Auckland residents to buy, arrived safely at the Wanaka National Museum of Transport and Toy yesterday.

Santa’s ability to wink and move his finger led to the claim that it was creepy.

However, the museum and Santa’s new owner Jason Rhodes felt the decor had been unfairly labeled.

“I’d like to know who slandered it to begin with, because most of the people I know have enjoyed it for what it is.

“He is an iconic figure and he has a smile on his face, trying to bring happiness to everyone around him.

“Why defame him?”

Rhodes purchased the Santa – which cost $ 200,000 a year to maintain and store – from the Auckland Heart of the City organization for $ 1.

The fiberglass figurine, in about a dozen pieces, was dumped by Rhodes into a huge hole where he planned to expand the museum.

He noted that the mechanisms for the wink of the eye and the moving finger had disappeared and he was not sure if those functions would be restored.

The Santa would be evaluated after Christmas and fiberglass repairs would be made over the summer.

Rhodes said that he had been in contact with several people who had kept Santa in Auckland and hoped to learn more.

“It’s the story behind it, straight from the people who instigated it, built it, and saved it throughout the years.

“It has had a checkered history in recent years.

“We just wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to end up in a dumpster.

“What we want to do is keep it for posterity.

“Maybe this time next year everyone will see him standing up with a little more of a smile.”