Christmas Eve is a great day to bury bad news (e.g., murders up 5 percent from last year) or even if you just want to be a dick:

Developer Joe Sitt showed little holiday spirit today as he infuriated business operators along the fabled boardwalk by having locks clipped and replaced — and their storefronts flooded with “For Rent” signs.

“He’s literally kicking us out Christmas Eve by not even trying to negotiate new leases with us,” said activist Dianna Carlin, who owns Lola Staar Souvenir Boutique on the Boardwalk.

. . .

Sitt owns almost 11 acres of prime beachfront real estate, including fabled Astroland Park and nearly the rest of the entire amusement zone — which he is in the process of trying to sell to the city. Astroland’s lease is up at the end of January, but the other business leases are up at the end of this month.

While some business owners allege Sitt is essentially booting them off the boardwalk by informally offering new leases with jacked up rents he knows they can’t afford, others like Carlin haven’t even received an offer.

Location Scout: Coney Island Amusement Core.