2.4 million calorie Santa goes on display, made entirely of dark chocolate - PHOTO

Mahesh Weerasinghe, who is based at the Hilton Americas hotel in Houston, Texas, used 1,000lbs of dark chocolate to craft the super-size candy Mr Claus and a team of elves.It took him just over 16 days to mold the Christmas characters and cost an estimated $5,000 in kitchen supplies.Topping off the festive scene, a fireplace and chimney were built out of 'gingerbread cake bricks'.One guest staying at the hotel exclaimed on Facebook that the giant chocolate figurines looked 'absolutely beautiful' and 'smelled delicious.'However, the models are sealed with lacquer to stop them from tarnishing, and spectators are advised not to take a bite.Mr Weerasinghe apparently spent three months coming up with a design that would impress guests.His sugary masterpieces are now on display in the hotel's lobby until December 30.After the holidays are over, the chocolate will go into cold storage where it will sit at 70degrees.Next year it will be wheeled out and included in Mr Weerasinghe's 2014 chocolaty holiday scene. The plan is for it to be a part of an annual attraction.'Next year . . .will be even larger,' a spokesperson for the Hilton Americas said. Although the chocolate Santa contains a lot of calories, it doesn't touch the 36million calories that a world record-breaking gingerbread house in Bryan Place, Dallas, touted earlier this month.(dailymail.co.uk)ANN.Az