Santa crucified to protest Christmas commercialism

Santa crucified to protest Christmas commercialism

Updated Sun. Dec. 23 2007 10:49 AM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

A Bremerton, Wash. man has registered his protest of the commercialization of Christmas by crucifying Santa.

"Santa has been perverted from who he started out to be," said Art Conrad. "Now he's the person being used by corporations to get us to buy more stuff."

A likeness Santa is nailed to a five-metre-high crucifix outside Conrad's home.

On one of Conrad's Christmas cards, a photo of the crucified Santa carries the message, "Santa died for your MasterCard."

"I don't make a lot of money myself these days, and I definitely feel the expectation to keep up with the pressures of Christmas," he said.

The 52-year-old Conrad, who likes to poke fun at political correctness, is a newcomer to his neighbourhood.

Another of his cards says, "Have a slightly demented Christmas."

While many have stopped to take pictures, no one has told him they are offended, he said.

Others were upset that Conrad used to the head of his animated singing Santa to create the crucifix version, leaving a headless singing Santa to belt out seasonal classics.

Neighbour Jake Tally got a chuckle out of the display, but thought Conrad was putting out a mixed message.

"I don't really know what to think. I know it's about God but Santa has nothing to do with it," he told the Kitsap Sun newspaper.

Conrad told the Seattle Times his display has nothing to do with religion.

He is also unlikely to duplicate the display in the future.

"Like [environmental sculptor] Christo, once you do an installation you don't do it again," Conrad said. "This is my year for this. I don't see the need to do it again."

With files from The Associated Press