Future of Santa's winking eye still under wraps

Santa's inviting finger has been given the flick in a $100,000-plus makeover of the 25 metre Auckland Christmas icon, but the future of his beady, winking eye has yet to be revealed.

The 49-year-old fibreglass figure was returned to its Queen St site over Whitcoulls in downtown Auckland last weekend after four months of cosmetic surgery but bandages covering the makeover on his face will not be removed until Sunday.

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

For many years when it was on the Farmers' site and after it was moved to the Queen St site, the forefinger on his right hand moved back and forth in a welcoming gesture, and one eye winked.

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

However, Heart of the City chief executive Alex Swney would not say if the blinking right eye would become a fixed stare or if the blink was back.

"There was a concern the guy did look a little creepy. It was the finger and the Sad Sack, winking, droopy eye."

He said the change to the finger was not made because of pressure from politically correct lobbies.

Part of it was the noise the motors made which were only two or three metres from an apartment bedroom.

"The finger looked pretty manky. It had a big bandage on it to cover the join." One eye was also 300mm lower than the other.

He said the makeover, costing "well north of $100,000", meant the Santa would stay for another 50 years at least.

- NZPA