"It's a gift from Auckland to Aucklanders and I encourage everyone to come down to see what will be a magnificent artistic creation and to pause and reflect on what Christmas means to them and how they can give back to the less fortunate."
Oliver Driver, one of the project's creative directors, said he hoped it would become an institution for the city in the same way as the giant Santa on the Whitcoulls building in Queen St.
"As New Zealanders we've been bombarded by the Hollywood image of Christmas which is snow and carols but that's not who we are and what we do. All of the images are going to be of beaches and jandals and all of these lovely things we think of when we think of Christmas."
PricewaterhouseCoopers had commissioned Frizzell to make its contribution. The painting, which cheekily references roadside sales of pines, will be enlarged to fit the 3m by 3m space.
It will be auctioned, with proceeds going to the City Mission.
The artist hoped it might sell for more than $4500 but PWC chief executive officer Bruce Hassall reckoned that was selling the piece far too short.
"We'll be twisting arms for more than that."