Mysterious drawings of Santa appear on remote hillsides across the UK
The festive artworks have been spotted across rural areas of the country
by Lauren Edwards · The MirrorLocals across the UK were baffled as mysterious drawings of Father Christmas popped up on hillsides in remote areas of the UK.
The artworks were sighted in the South West near Bideford, Devon, and North West, near Penrith, Cumbria. The largest located in Bideford, measures a staggering 1,000 square metres.
It has been revealed that these artworks are part of the Cadbury Secret Santa postal service, which allows people to secretly send a free bar of chocolate to their loved ones by scanning a QR code on posters scattered across the UK.
The initiative follows a study commissioned by Cadbury involving 2,000 adults who celebrate Christmas, that found over a third plan to give gifts secretly over the festive period.
It discovered that 68% would be pleased with both giving or receiving a surprise gift, with 41% confessing their love for surprising others.
A third of respondents appreciate the secrecy aspect, as it means the recipient doesn't feel obligated to have to gift anything in return.
For those on the receiving end, 26% said it would remind them of their childhood. While 38% said that a gesture of this kind would make them feel happy for days.
The campaign is now in its seventh year, and a new Secret Santa chatbot has been developed to direct individuals to their nearest poster.
Cadbury's brand manager, Nicole Dudley, expressed her excitement about the postal service's return, stating it was back, bigger, and more magical than ever.
She further added: "To celebrate and add some festive cheer, giant "Shh-ing" Secret Santas have been placed on hillsides from the dramatic Devon coastline to the picturesque Cumbrian fells. .