The Christmas traditions of our biggest city have come a long way since a giant model of Santa made people uncomfortable as it beckoned them from its inner-city perch.
Today, Auckland’s festive celebrations include old favourites such as twinkling Christmas lights in expensive inner suburbs — as well as some new additions that reflect the city’s diversity.
Let’s take a festive walk down memory lane and remember those traditions that delighted people in days past, those whose days are sadly numbered, and something new to enjoy, too.
‘Creepy’ Santa
Once upon a time, every Aucklander knew Christmas was coming when they spied a nearly 20-metre Santa beckoning them with his sausage-like finger and winking like he’d had a little too much whiskey in his eggnog.
The iconic “creepy” Santa hailed the beginning of Christmas celebrations for more than 60 years in Auckland. He was originally attached to the old Farmer’s building on Hobson Street (now the Heritage Hotel) and was briefly relocated to Manukau when Farmers sold that building in 1990.
Santa eventually moved back to the CBD with a spot on the corner of Queen and Victoria streets in 1995 where he cajoled/terrorised the city’s foot traffic for another 24 years — until he became too expensive to keep.
So, giant Santa packed up his pudgy digit and bade farewell to Auckland in 2020, travelling south to the National Transport & Toy Museum in Wānaka for an early retirement.
Seven Sharp’s Michael Holland tracks the famous Farmers Santa as he leaves our biggest city for good. (Source: Seven Sharp)
The Santa Parade
An Auckland Christmas tradition that’s been around even longer than creepy Santa is the Farmers Santa Parade.
The event first ran in 1933 and has since grown to become the country’s biggest Christmas parade.
The 2024 Santa Parade is due to run tomorrow (November 24), led this time by New Zealand’s Olympic high jump champion, Hamish Kerr.
Organisers are promising new floats this year, including a Lego-themed Christmas float and a Bluey float. Because nothing says Christmas like a Blue Heeler puppy.
Peter Taylor has designed and built floats for Auckland’s Santa Parade for 50 years. (Source: Seven Sharp)
Franklin Road Christmas lights
More houses have become adorned with festive lights around Auckland in recent years, but the homes along Ponsonby’s Franklin Road have long been the undisputed champions of Christmas cheer.
Thousands of people visit the street every December and will do so again this year, albeit with a few changes brought on by behaviour that put some people on Santa’s naughty list in recent times.
Co-ordinator Eric Wilson told the NZ Herald the Franklin Road lights would be switched on from December 7 and would be turned off each night at the earlier time of 10pm.
“We had a problem with cars going up and down late at night with their stereos blaring out,” he said.
Security staff will also be deployed in the area this year to send away the unlicensed street vendors who have cropped up over time.
If you still need a Christmas lights fix after visiting Franklin Road, other popular spots include the festive displays at MOTAT and the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
Christmas in the Park
If you enjoy fighting your way through crowds of families to get to the Auckland Domain and take in several hours of mostly Christmas carols (but also a few other family-friendly bangers), then do I have the event for you – Christmas in the Park.
It’s celebrating its 30th year as the country’s largest free annual Christmas celebration this December, with a lineup that includes Che-Fu, Georgia Lines, Lavina Williams, Vince Harder and Sweet Mix Kids.
The event remains alcohol-free (although I would be giving the lurking groups of teenagers a side-eye) and always finishes with a bunch of festive fireworks.
Santa’s Enchanted Forest at Smith & Caughey’s
Nothing screams Christmas tradition more than a photo with Santa at your local shopping mall.
But if you’re feeling fancy, you can also spend approximately $30 per child to have them cry and stubbornly refuse to sit anywhere near Santa at Smith & Caughey’s (not that I am writing from personal experience or anything).
The famous Auckland department store has been setting up a festive scene across an entire floor of its building for some time now. There’s usually plenty for kids to look at and enjoy before they see Santa, courtesy of the Christmas window displays and the “enchanted forest” leading the way to the jolly man in red.
Tony Caughey said there were about “half-a-dozen” reasons for the proposal. (Source: Breakfast)
But alas, this is one Auckland Christmas tradition that is coming to an end this year, given Smith & Caughey’s is reducing its operations from 2025.
True Christmas professionals knew to book their slot to see Santa at Smith & Caughey’s back in September. Very, very few bookings (and I mean very few) remain if you’d also like one last chance to check the enchanted forest out.
A new Christmas tradition
As one festive door closes at Smith & Caughey’s this year, another one is opening a little further downtown at Te Komititanga, lower Queen Street.
Te Manaaki, Auckland’s giant new Christmas tree, is officially opening later today with a tree-lighting event featuring Anika Moa, Tami Neilson, and the Auckland Youth Choir.
The steel 18.4-metre tree features 10,000 LED lights, 4000 pōhutukawa flowers and more than 200 giant baubles and will be standing in the square until Sunday, January 5. A five-minute light show is due to run every evening from 6pm until 10pm.
The cost of the tree has a few groups muttering “bah humbug” but businesses in the city centre are hopeful this new Christmas tradition will bring some badly needed foot traffic along with the festive cheer this year.