Auckland Santa's facelift unveiled

Crowds gathered in Auckland's Queen St today to watch the unveiling of a new look Santa following his facelift.

A couple of acrobatic elves released the bandages, which have been covering his face since last weekend when he was returned to his site over Whitcoulls after four months of cosmetic surgery.

The $100,000-plus makeover of the 25m-high Christmas icon has seen the end of the beady, winking eye and the 49-year-old fibreglass figure now has a more friendly appearance.

There was mixed opinion amongst the crowd about Santa's new look.

Torbay's Melanie Kilfoyle thought it was great but her eight-year-old son Daniel said he preferred it when he winked.

Mt Eden's Donna Sharp thought he didn't look much different.

"He does look a bit like the old Santa, but it's a nice event for the city and we definitely need something like this in Queen St for Christmas," she said.

But her children, seven-year-old Lucy and five-year-old Josh, liked the new look.

Henderson's Sharon Leung watched the unveiling with her five-year-old daughter Adrienne.

"I think it's great. It looks much better than before with the eye open," she said.

Santa has been part of Auckland's heritage since 1960 when he was first erected on the outside of the Farmers Building in Albert St.

For many years one eye winked and his right forefinger moved back and forth in a welcoming gesture.

Last year, after Aucklanders voted overwhelmingly to keep Santa because of his emotional tie with the city, he was given a makeover and the mechanical finger was replaced with a static finger.

- NZPA