They see red on top of Bloomies green Santa.
As part of “”holiday partnershipAlong with the movie event “Wicked,” Santaland at Bloomingdale's 59th Street flagship store has been “Oz-ized” to be more Emerald City than the North Pole. There's a pink Christmas tree, lollipops instead of candy canes, “Wicked”-themed bracelets, and jolly old Saint Nick wears a green suit instead of red with elaborate gold details. .
For many people, Santa's extreme makeover doesn't make it onto their “nice list.”
“Be careful if your child is expecting Santa in the traditional red and white suit. Bloomingdale's only offers a green Santa. He left without taking a photo. So I'm a little disappointed,'' one disappointed mother wrote in a local Facebook group last week. “I just wanted to share it in case anyone else is thinking of taking their kids to meet Santa and wants to take some traditional photos.”
For some, Mr. Krause's new look goes against the original Christmas spirit, prompting a massive “Wicked” marketing blitz and cringing from two stars, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Elivio. It is said to be a particularly unpleasant press tour.
“Santa, leave him alone. You don't have to change everything or try anything,” Melanie, an Upper West Side mother of one, told the Post. “There's no reason to have a green Santa other than to promote a movie on an already over-commercialized holiday. Green Santas are stupid…hard pass.”
Children are also struggling with change.
On Saturday, an emerald-clad elf at “Evil” Santaland admitted babies start crying at first sight of Santa.
“I think it's because he's green,” a holiday helper told the Post.
Six-year-old Jada Robinson was “very, very, very surprised” about the green Santa.
A first-grader in the East Village said red is more “Christmas-y.” (The Post has reached out to Bloomingdale's for comment.)
One father said he made sure to tell his kids about the color change ahead of time to prevent possible meltdowns.
“I told the kids in advance because it could be daunting,” he says.
Santa Doug, Bloomingdale's in-house Santa since 2019, was kept in the dark about the wardrobe switch until the 11th hour. It was the first time he didn't wear the classic red suit, and he only found out last month that his outfit had changed.
But he pointed out that it's primarily parents, not children, who miss the crimson color.
“It's mostly adults who ask, 'Santa, why don't you wear red?'” he says. His response is usually a cheerful laugh and a joke like, “Well, we're in the Emerald City.”
Other Santas say they're not so easy-going.
“I'm traditional and I'm proud of it,” said School 4 Santa founder Tim Conahan, 77, who has played Father Christmas in Vietnam since he was 20 years old.
If he was asked to wear green, he said, he would probably turn down the job.
“I'll leave it to the other Santas,” he said. “I always wear a red suit, except when it's my turn.''
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