Frighteningly Festive

Auckland’s Whitcoulls Santa statue, which was built in 1960, is the world’s most unintentionally creepy Christmas ornament according to American humour website Cracked. Before a 2009 makeover, the statue had a sly winking left eye and a disturbing “come hither” moving index finger. The Santa originally lived outside the old Farmers department store, now the Heritage Hotel, in Hobson St in downtown Auckland. Since 1998, he has spent every Christmas outside Whitcoulls on the corner of Victoria and Queen Streets. “Unsurprisingly, residents of Auckland were uncomfortable with being beckoned to by something that looks like it wants your attention so it can ask if you’re comfortable with being followed home,” Cracked said.


Tags: Auckland  Christmas  Cracked  Creepy  News.com.au  Queen Street  Whitcoulls Santa Statue  

Stellar Creator Mark Toia an Advertising Legend

Stellar Creator Mark Toia an Advertising Legend

New Zealand-born visionary filmmaker and director Mark Toia has died, at the age of 51, in Brisbane, the Daily Mail reports. Toia’s career took him from filming eye-catching ads for Jeep and…