Christmas trees return to N.J. mall Santa displays after boycott threat

Holiday displays featuring Santa Claus in a glacial setting absent Christmas trees or traditional holiday decorations has prompted a massive social media backlash, the return of Christmas trees and an apology from the company that owns these malls.

A social media uproar over Simon Property Group's Santa Claus in a glacial setting absent of Christmas trees has prompted the return of Christmas trees. Pictured, a Santa Claus sits in his chair as children visit in Upper Saucon Township on Dec. 20, 2014. (NJ Advance Media File Photo) 

A social media uproar over mall holiday displays featuring Santa Claus in a futuristic glacial setting led to the return of Christmas trees and an apology from the company that owns these malls, according to media reports.

Simon Property Group received withering criticism over its holiday displays at its malls including several New Jersey locations such as the Menlo Park Mall in Edison, Rockaway Townsquare in Rockaway Township and The Shops at Riverside Square in Hackensack. At these locations, the company rolled out a minimalist, futuristic holiday setting of an enchanted glacier where children could play games in an artificial snow bank before hopping on St. Nick's lap for the annual holiday photo, NBC New York reported.

Those displays, however, didn't feature a Christmas tree, prompting criticism on social media.

Over the weekend, a Facebook group called "Boycott Simon Malls" sprang up urging customers to boycott malls owned by the company until the holiday displays featured a traditional set-up. More than 7,000 people have joined the group as of Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, Change.org petitions have popped up over the last three days pressuring Simon malls to abandon Santa's glacier. A petition seeking the removal of the display at the SouthPark Mall in North Carolina had received more than 25,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning.

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In New Jersey, criticism of the Rockaway Townsquare display became ethnically charged when a bus driver for the Parsippany school district took issue with those he blamed for the display, Jefferson Patch reported.

"This mall used to be so great...And now they go politically correct and refuse to have Christmas decorations up so as to not offend the towel heads," Frank Atkins said in a Facebook post recounted by the website. "WHAT ABOUT OFFENDING US THE CHRISTIANS! My kid will never visit Santa there and I work for the Parsippany school district. I am sending the word out to all our schools and all the others to boycott your mall!"

In response to the online backlash, Simon Property Group issued an apology and said it would replace the displays with traditional decorations, Huffington Post reported.

David Contis, president of Simon Property Group, told the Charlotte Observer the glaciers were a "mistake."

Members of the Boycott Simon Malls group have pointed out that while some malls have removed the arch in favor of traditional decor, others have only added Christmas trees to the glacial set-up.

A message placed with Simon Property Group by NJ Advance Media Monday night has not yet been returned.