Honolulu’s Ala Moana Center’s iconic Big Santa has made his annual appearance, signalling the official start of the holiday season.
The centre’s new and improved Big Santa is made of all new materials to last another 60 years, and in an effort to promote a safe shopping experience, Big Santa will also be wearing a mask.
The original Big Santa has been a staple at Ala Moana Center since it opened in 1959, and was originally made of paper mâché and had a chicken wire framework. Ala Moana Center’s new Big Santa is made up of 2,500 square feet of fiberglass and nearly 2,000 pounds of resin.
What was once made up of three large pieces that required the use of a crane for installation, the new Big Santa is made up of 30 smaller pieces and includes a state-of-the-art integrated elevator system to simplify the installation process. The innovative system includes two hoist motors and built-in moving platforms that are built entirely of aluminium and are engineered to withstand winds of up to 86 mph.
“We understand the meaning and joy that the mere sight of Big Santa brings to the community year after year. And after six decades of wear and tear, we felt it was important for us to commission a new Big Santa that was not only built to last, but that was as authentic as possible to the original,” said Jacob Wilson, vice president, senior general manager of Ala Moana Center.
