Santa has been riding a slay for a long time. Here in New Zealand, Santa's Little Helpers have been riding Segway PTs in Santa Parades for almost two decades.
The very first Segway PTs appeared participated as "floats' in Santa Parades in Auckland, Tauranga and Christchurch at the end of 2003.
Within a few years Segway PTs had become a regular part of the broader Event Management landscape, with organisers using fleets of Segway PTs during 'build up' and on 'show day' to manage their activities. First Aiders and Security Guards on Segway PTs started appearing in support roles soon after.
Today's Auckland 2020 Santa Parade in the CBD is managed by staff from Crackerjack Events riding six Segway Personal Transporters (PTs). These have been hired from Segway New Zealand.
Crackerjack Events have been using Segway PTs for more than a decade to run this and other large public events.
Our article from 2009 reports how at least half a dozen Santa Parades all around New Zealand being managed with Segway PTs that season. By 2011 a pair of PTs even turned up as a float the parade in small, beautiful South Island town of Geraldine.
In 2014, in addition to the four PTs used by Crackerjack staff, a further six appeared as little honey bees buzzing around the giant Buzzy Bee float.
According to NZ Herald, heavy rain began to fall just after the 2020 parade began:
Thousands of people have braved the rain for Auckland's annual Santa Parade. Moments after the parade began in Auckland's central city streets the skies opened and rain began bucketing down.
While the crowds momentarily thinned most came prepared with umbrellas and raincoats and many packed into the covered areas on Queen St.
Despite the rain the mood was in indeed festive, with wide smiles and plenty of cheers as a diverse array of floats came by.
Santa was of course the winner, but in close second was Peppa Pig, a giant helium float from Canada.
Veteran parade organiser Pam Glaser, who is running her 32nd parade, says this year's event has drawn media interest from as far afield as China and Germany because it will be "one of the few Christmas parades happening internationally this year".