NEW YORK – Santa is back this year, but he says caution as he continues tiptoe through the pandemic.
“Be smart. Be caring. When you have the slightest tickle in your throat, the slightest feeling, take care of yourself and everyone else and know that Santa will always be there next year,” said the 57- year old Kevin Chesney, who has been wearing the big red suit since he was a child.
In the midst of a downturn at Jolly Old Elves – about 15% less in a large database – Chesney is busier than ever by its North Pole in Moorestown, New Jersey. The photo studio he works in quickly sold out with 4,500 appointments to sit with him and the seven other Santa Clauses in the studio’s stable.
You are among the brave ones in Santa’s ranks with full contact visits, including lap seats, even though Chesney wears a mask until shortly before the photos.
Other Santas may not wear masks or plastic face shields, or hang around in protective snow globes like many did last year, but it seems 50-50 this season that they’re not quite ready for hugs, whisper in their ears secret desires, and children smiling or sobbing on their knees.
Some Santas will stay behind barriers that popped up last year for security reasons. In the Mall of America, Minnesota, the tall man is housed in a log cabin behind a window while the guests sit on benches in front of him. Benches are also used at 169 locations of the outdoor retailers Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, and plastic partitions are set up in some shops for Santa’s photo ops.
Other retailers and Santa Claus hosts offer the option of no or full contact, even if there are no distancing mandates. And many require or encourage online reservations to reduce the number of people waiting.
According to Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, more than 10 million US households visited Santa Claus in a mall or store in 2019. Almost 73% of them also spent money in nearby restaurants or shops, he said. Last year, a research by the company found that 6.1 million households visited Santa Claus, with fewer retailers and malls offering the poinsettia in person. Of these visitors, 62% ate or shopped nearby.
Saunders predicts that around 8.9 million households will visit Santa in person this year, with virtual visits still a great option.
“Ongoing concerns about the virus and ongoing restrictions in some states and localities continue to hold back Santa Claus’ in-person visits,” he said.
Chris Landtroop, a spokeswoman for the Santa retailer Cherry Hill Program, is optimistic. The new introduction of vaccinations for children 5-11 will surely help.
“Santa Claus is so back and we are really happy about it. The last year has been incredibly tough, ”said Landtroop.
The company sources Santas year round for the 800 malls, big box stores, and other locations it serves, with options for contactless visits. Cherry Hill requires its Santa Clauses and other employees to be vaccinated and those with exceptions to be tested regularly.
“Ultimately, we want our guests to feel good,” says Landtroop.
Luther Landon has been offering the Santa Experience at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota for nearly two decades. Last year it came up with the idea of a log cabin, but was closed after a day due to the pandemic. He turned to virtual Santa and will be offering both this year.
“We think it would be very irresponsible of us to just ignore it and pretend everything is back to normal,” he said of the pandemic. “We hid a couple of microphones so Santa can hear well. I know from our Santa Claus community and know so many other Santa Clauses that most of them are reluctant, very reluctant to go back to what it was before the pandemic. But we also have some who are just like you know what, I don’t care. Having both groups is also what is happening in the country. “
Russell Hurd in Royse City, Texas has been playing Santa Claus since 2017 after he retired from the Army. He wears his red suit with his long – and very real – white beard at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center near Dallas. His visits to the crowds are distanced and require a mask. He longs for this to stop.
“Just as it used to be, it also has a meaning for us Santa Clauses. I mean we are human. We long for that interaction, but right now we’re doing what we can, ”said Hurd.
Hurd is unvaccinated and is regularly tested for COVID.
“I know a lot of unkempt Santas all over the country. I mean, it’s not just Texas, ”he said.
Count American Dream, a 3 million square foot mega-mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is one of those retailers offering detached Santas. He’ll be on the ice, skating with visitors on the rink and also playing around with guests in pink golf carts.
At Macy’s Stores, Santa will make his list and double-check it behind a desk while the guests sit on the other side.
“We encourage everyone to maintain masking during their visits,” said Kathleen Wright, senior manager, Macy’s Branded Entertainment. “Santa Claus has been part of the Macy’s tradition since 1862, so we are delighted to be able to safely continue the tradition this year.”
At Oakbrook Center, a suburban Chicago mall owned by Brookfield Properties, Santa’s place is a dodgy RV that fans are let in. Santa Claus will be held in 117 of the 132 shopping centers Brookfield owns in 43 states. The company follows local regulations on safety protocols but will distance anyone who asks. The same goes for CBL Properties, which owns 63 malls in 24 states and offered Santa Claus visits from a safe distance last year.
“We’re bringing back a more traditional Christmas experience this year,” said CBL spokeswoman Stacey Keating. “Visitors who so wish can sit on Santa’s lap or on the Christmas bench. Masks are not required on set or during the photos unless there is a local mandate. “
And as a bonus, “We’re also bringing back pet photo nights with Santa,” she said, “as well as Santa Cares, a reservation-only event that caters to people with sensory sensitivities and for whom the traditional experience might be too overwhelming.”
The pandemic has challenged Santa Claus in other ways too.
Stephen Arnold, the 71-year-old head of IBRBS (formerly the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas), said his organization of about 2,000 Santa Clauses and Mrs. Clauses had lost 57 Santa Clauses to COVID.
“Most of us are overweight, diabetic, and have heart conditions,” said Arnold, a longtime Santa Claus who will be working both virtually and in person in Memphis, Tennessee this year. “I mean, we are the main targets for a disease like COVID.”
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