I published an article on the wicked car with a hat back in 2020. The subject of the article was my photo collection of a bright green car with a witch’s hat seen on 3rd Avenue in Gowanus, Brooklyn, close to Halloween. That car has stayed in the same location ever since, and it has been outfitted with the witch’s hat around Halloween in each of the three years since 2020. Until December 24, 2023, I had never seen it with accessories for other holidays. However, for the Christmas season, the formerly wicked car of the Gowanus traded its witch’s hat for something more fitting for December: Nicely wrapped Christmas presents.

Side view of a green car decorated with Christmas presents on its roof, seen on 3rd Avenue in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

Same car. Same location. But presents instead of a hat.

The car got so into the spirit of the season that it even has more presents in its rear basket.

Back view of a green car decorated with Christmas presents on its roof, seen on 3rd Avenue in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

Astute readers may have noticed a small festive rodent on top of the car with the hat of presents. See below:

Upon seeing this photo, my friend asked me if the rat on top of the car was the “Santa union rat” (the tail, which I only noted in the photo, confirms that it is a rat and not a mouse). I had not thought of that despite having previously covered a union rat seen in Brooklyn Heights. I considered the possibility, but I think this particular rat just wants to join in on the gift-giving fun.

(Since the rat is wearing a Santa hat, we can count this as another piece of evidence that a Santa hat can turn just about anything into Christmas.)

I have previously covered dual-purpose Halloween-Thanksgiving decorations and opined that just about anything can be turned into a Christmas decoration with the addition of a Santa hat. While this particular green car’s coloration made it particularly amenable to a witch’s hat for Halloween, it has proven its versatility by transmogrifying into an endearing Christmas decoration. I will have to check in on it once in a while to see if it joins any new holidays in 2024.

Note: While Christmas is new for the green car in Gowanus, I previously covered a different car dressed as Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer back in 2020.