SIDE SALAD - Everything crunchy is good.

CALENDAR OF DISTURBING SANTAS,
DAYS 8-9

Time to play catch-up again. My apologies.

Santa, they want YOU to want THEM.

For Day 9's entry, Rev. Joe Kendall, who is always busy with his multidenominational celebrations during the holidays, sends along a link to this story:

Neighbors leery after Miami Beach resident hangs a bound and blindfolded Santa

MIAMI BEACH -- In one South Florida community, a man's holiday decorations are causing holiday fear for local children instead of creating holiday cheer, news partner NBC 6 reported Wednesday.

Residents called police and complained to the city that a house near West 50th Street and Fifth Avenue had a life-sized, blindfolded Santa Claus doll hanging on a tree with its hands tied and its mouth gagged.

Parents are afraid the decoration will cause a nightmare before Christmas for their children.

"I'm not sure what his reasoning is, but a lot of little kids are upset by it," one parent said.

The owner was not at the house, but NBC 6's Tom Llamas found him at his primary residence off Lincoln Road. The man said the Santa Claus was an artistic expression.

Some residents say the damage is already done.

"He might be the Grinch. He might be friendly with the Grinch," resident Joanie Stein said. Stein, who has lived on the block for years, said the dangling Santa sickens him. "It's a beautiful neighborhood and I think it's just weird. I've never seen anything like this here."

Sounds like someone has a case of the Mundays.

To see a video clip of Santa dangling, click here. It's local TV news at its absolute worst.

PREVIOUS ENTRIES:

DAY 1: Santa gets his gin 'n' juice on.

DAY 2: Can you hear me now?

DAYS 3-6: Smack, robbery, whack, Alice and Nuge.

DAY 7: Give the Jew girl toys.

Posted by Jeff at December 9, 2005 07:45 AM