Oxnard, California - Santa Claus Statue

Oxnard, California - Santa Claus Statue

I took this photo of the Santa last summer. I drive past it to/from work everyday. When daylight savings time starts they change Santa's clear spectacles over to sunglasses.

If you would like to see video on how Santa ended up in Oxnard, then on Disc 2 of the movie, Elf, go to the section titled "infinifilm." When the new menu comes up select "Beyond The Movie Features," and then on the subsequent menu select "Santa Mania." The story of Santa coming to Oxnard is the third segment in "Santa Mania." [Greg Eaton, 06/14/2005]

[RA: Santa was built in 1948 as part of a strip mall named Santa Claus Lane (famous for its Date Shakes, which were like drinking a Fig Newton). He was moved to a vacant lot next to a mobile home park in Oxnard in 2003. The Oxnard City Council at first wanted to kick out Santa, but now that he's been cleaned up they like him.]

Oxnard, California - Santa Claus statue finds refuge in vacant lot
Carpinteria, California's fat Santa statue may have a new home. After barely surviving the destruction of Santa Claus Lane by developers last year, the 20-ft.... [01/26/2003] Complete News Story

Carpinteria, California - Santa Claus - Still Fighting

Sorry to say, Santa is struggling to stay after decades of enjoyment for roadside passers-by. The new owner wants to tear down the Santa structure and replace all buildings with a Cape Cod village motif. Historic preservationists are fighting to retain the Santa in its current position. The decision is with the county government. There is great public support for Santa but also support for private property rights.

Here is a vintage postcard from the 1950s-'60s. [Rick Closson, 07/13/2001]

[RA: News on the ongoing battle for Santa.]

Carpinteria, California - Santa Claus going down -- statue's fate still undecided
One of Southern California's most prominent example of roadside vernacular architecture -- Carpinteria's fat Santa statue -- is a supervisorial decision away from becoming a memory. The new owner of the Santa Claus Lane property plans to destroy the recently renovated landmark "in order to create an upscale Cape Cod-style retail strip to service the conspicuous tastes of new residents to the community," according to a press release from Santa supporters. ... [06/06/2001] Complete News Story

Carpinteria, California - Santa Claus Lane

Santa Claus lane is a corny collection of theme buildings,eg: Santa's Kitchen, the Reindeer Room; and atop the resturant there is a 20' high Santa waving at the people driving by on the Pacific Coast Highway. There used to be a snowman too, but Tom Merkel bought it and took it to New Cuyama. Now there's just the Santa, and he has a malevolent gleam in his eye.

But maybe not for long........there are new owners and they are petitioning the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors to tear down the Santa. It was built during the depression and is a local landmark, so many locals have been "putting on the Santa Hat" and attending Board meetings to show their opposition to changing things they love. The new owners want to dump the name and turn it into a faux Cape Cod Village. Big politics! [Pat Fish, 11/02/2000]