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Culture & Religion

Scary Santa

Residents in Auckland, New Zealand are up in arms about a “creepy” giant statue of Santa Claus sporting plastic surgery installed in the city centre.
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“A controversial giant Santa Claus decoration has been reinstalled in Auckland’s city centre to the horror of some locals who say it is ‘too creepy’,” writes ABC News. “The 20-metre-high fibreglass Santa has been attached to the side of a book shop in Queen Street over Christmas for almost 50 years. But it has undergone major cosmetic surgery after Aucklanders complained his smile looked sinister and his beckoning finger was scaring children. Last year, the Santa had broken apart and been stuck together with what looked like a giant band-aid. It has been under the knife for the past four months, with Santa’s face currently wrapped in white bandages that are due to be removed on Sunday. But some locals say the bandages are creepier than the old face, with one mother looking up at the decoration saying: ‘This is every child’s worst nightmare.’”

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