A CONTROVERSIAL Christmas billboard that suggests Santa Claus gives guns away as gifts is causing angst among motorists.

Situated at the corner of Beaudesert and Algester roads at Calamvale, the towering billboard shows a woman dressed as Santa Claus and posing with a hand gun under the headline: “Santa Knows What You Really Want”.

The billboard is advertising guns for a store which is located at Hillcrest.

Concerned mother Lynda McKenzie said the sign was purposefully misleading and the image of Santa Claus with a gun had confused her young son had brought memories of the recent Florida massacre flooding back.

“When my kids saw it they questioned why they were encouraging buying guns like in the US where people shoot lots of people,” she said.

“(That was) out of kids mouths. Not the sort of thing I want my kids to be worrying about.”

Ms McKenzie said the play to use an image of Santa Claus to get children’s attention was distasteful.

“The fact they are using Santa will instantly draw children’s attention to the sign,” Ms McKenzie said.

“Those children who can’t even read attention will be drawn to the lady in the Christmas hat holding the gun.

“Having to explain this to my nine-year-old daughter the other day was not a conversation that I ever would have imagined. When did Santa start bringing guns?”

An Advertising Standards Bureau spokeswoman said it was aware of the sign and confirmed complaints had been lodged.

“We have received a handful of complaints about this just this morning, but have not yet assessed whether the complaints raise issues under the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) Code of Ethics,” she said.

The owner of the store has been approached for comment.