Santa Parade competition: Winners announced after participants find themselves in old photos

Tracy Anderson-Bennett and her sister Vicki Roycroft are in the front row, second and third from the left. Photo / Farmers

Tracy Anderson-Bennett got quite the shock last week when she spotted herself and her sister in a crowd photo from an Auckland Santa Parade from the early 1980s.

This Sunday the man in the big red coat makes his return to the City of Sails to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the Farmers Santa Parade.

To mark the occasion, the Herald and Farmers announced prizes would be given away to readers who spotted themselves in old photos.

Anderson-Bennett found her sister first in the crowd filled with cheering children before noticing herself sitting behind her sister.

Tracy Anderson-Bennett was gobsmacked when she opened her Herald and spotted herself in a photo from an early 1980s Farmers Santa Parade.

"It was a bit of a shock at first, I was like, 'oh my goodness!'," she told the Herald.

"I took a photo and sent it off to a couple of people, like, 'I'm in the paper!'"

Living in Tuakau at the time, it was the first and only Auckland Santa Parade her parents took her to.

"I don't remember much about the parade, only being excited about going before we even got there," Anderson-Bennett said.

"I was only about 5 ... it was a very special occasion. We would go to Howick to see my grandparents but never went into the city."

Anderson-Bennett is one of five people selected and will walk away with a $250 prize pack from Farmers.

Each pack has its own individual department theme - Bedding, Toys, Christmas, Beauty & Appliances.

The other winners are Adrienne Dalton, Grant Hewison, Tracey Foley and Helena Taylor.