Christmas spirit

The real McCoy?

Steve Esson attracted plenty of attention from Dunedin shoppers on Saturday morning as he did a spot of early Christmas shopping.

The Santa Claus doppelganger has been dressing as Santa during the festive season for the past couple of years and said he enjoyed the sheer joy it gave people as they passed him in the street.

He did, however, have to remind some curious youngsters not to tug his beard — it’s the real McCoy.