KEY POINTS:
A mass of Santas descended on Auckland last night - but the city's most famed Father Christmas is in the firing line.
While 300 Santas and the odd Rudolph raised money for children's health charity Cure Kids with a fun run, city leaders were toying with the idea of getting rid of the Whitcoulls Santa.
Alex Swny, head of lobby group Heart of the City, wants the public to decide if the 48-year-old stays.
The 25-metre statue has been a fixture on the corner of Queen St and Victoria St during the festive season since 1998. In his prime in 1960, he was perched outside the Farmers store on Hobson St, inviting customers inside with a beckoning finger and a friendly wink. But Mr Swny said many people were not so keen on the Queen St Santa, because of his "seedy actions".
"We liked him, but people were saying that the finger ... and the winking eye was a bit seedy."
Funded by Whitcoulls, the giant Santa costs $55,000 a year, going towards resource consent, installation and storage fees among the costs.
Next year Heart of the City will take ownership. Mr Swney said the group will look to modernise Auckland CBD's decorations.
"The question is: does Santa fit with all that? We want Aucklanders to tell us if they think Santa should stay or take a well-earned retirement."
Mr Swny said he hoped it would help to carry on:
"He's 48 - he needs to get to 100. It's too easy to walk away from heritage things."
As for the fun run, winner Michael Petrina - one of the few reindeer in the race - beat the first Santa by at least two minutes. "Well, Rudolph is at the front of the sleigh," he said.
What do you think?
Should the Whitcoulls Santa go?
email: newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz
