Mainstreet Whanganui is keeping schtum about why a family with a long-standing involvement in the annual Christmas Parade has not been invited to take part this year.
Edward Minnell said several generations of his family had been involved with the Santa float over many years and he did not know why they had received the cold shoulder this year.
"My father Ritchie Minnell has been Santa for more than 15 years and the little girl that used to ride beside Santa is my niece who is now in her 20s," Mr Minnell said.
"That role was handed over to my daughter Sophia who has done it for a few years. The woman on the sleigh with Santa is my sister and I've been driving Santa's sleigh for the last two or three years.
"My grandfather on my mother's side of the family made the reindeer for the sleigh in the 1960s when he worked at Londontown. They were lost for a few years then discovered when Farmers took over Londontown and my father and sister restored them."