It's beginning to look a lot more like Christmas at Roosevelt Field following an outcry over the mall's "modern" Santa display.
As News 12 first reported, Roosevelt Field was among a handful of Simon-owned malls to roll out what it called the "Glacier experience." The photo-staging area was devoid of any Christmas trees, sleighs or elves, and instead featured Santa seated in an ice cave area that the mall described as "uniquely modern" and "cutting edge."
Photos of the Glacier set-up got a frosty reception on social media, and outraged Long Islanders started an online petition demanding the mall put up traditional holiday decorations. Roosevelt Field and Simon Malls were accused of trying to "censor Christmas" and being "too politically correct," and many said they would boycott by shopping elsewhere.
On Saturday, the mall said it would spruce up the new display by adding a Christmas tree and other elements. But by Sunday, Roosevelt Field management opted instead to dismantle the entire Glacier display and put up classic Christmas decor.
In an updated statement released Monday, Simon Mall President David Contis said, "In six of our nearly 200 malls, including Roosevelt Field, Simon had developed a new Santa experience. It was our intention to experiment with delivering a modern interactive experience for the family. After listening to customer feedback, we immediately decided to remove and replace them with traditional decor, including Christmas trees, and hope our customers will join us in celebrating the Christmas season."