MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- One holiday display in Miami Beach is causing quite a bit of controversy because of what neighbors are calling a cruel joke.

The joke? An air-inflated Santa Claus being held up not by a sleigh, but by a noose.

"It frightens me and it disgusts me," said Estelle Farnsworth, who is furious about the yard ornament. "It's cruel and what it does to kids, besides what it does to adults, is so unfair."

Santa is also blindfolded and has his hands tied as well.

"If you're not in the Christmas spirit, OK, you don't have to celebrate it," said Flora Goldfine. "But still, you don't need to put something up like that."

Some neighbors of the West 50th Street home were so upset by the image dangling from a tree that they called police.

"I know they can't throw him in jail for something like this, but if he's a reasonable man, then surely it'll get through his mind that this should never have been done," Goldfine said.

Neighbors told Local 10's Terrell Forney that they rarely see anyone at the home, but said they refuse to let the display rob them of their Christmas spirit.

"This is absolutely going over the line," said Joseph Landesman. "Of course, this should be stopped immediately."

Miami Beach property codes do not specifically address situations like this on private property, so it remains to be seen if the stir will prompt the owner of the home to bring the display down.