Giant Santa arrives in Wanaka from Auckland

The giant Christmas decorations arrive in Wanaka today. Photo / Mark Price

Santa Claus has come to town, albeit in pieces.

Today the 18m tall Santa that adorned the Queen St Farmers building and other Auckland buildings for 60 Christmases finally arrived in Wanaka.

The owner of the National Transport and Toy Museum at Wanaka Airport, Jason Rhodes, bought the five-tonne Santa and two of his reindeer.

The giant Christmas decorations are now in 13 pieces, on three trucks, out behind the museum.

The five-tonne, 18m Santa was built in 1960 by Farmers for its flagship store in Hobson St. At the time he was the world's largest fibreglass Santa.

Since then, he has changed hands for $1, lost his wink and moving finger, and crowned the world's creepiest Christmas ornament in 2011.