Visits with Santa go virtual due to Covid-19

CHICAGO • As the pandemic rages, children's visits with Santa Claus are going virtual - to protect both them and the men in high-risk groups who dress up as old St Nick.

"I'm not fooling around with the pandemic," said Mr Joe Harkins, an 87-year-old Santa from Jersey City, New Jersey. "I'm not going to risk my life for any family or public events. It's just too risky."

Mr Harkins, like many of his brothers-in-red, as many Santas refer to one another, has taken his winter gig online, opting to swop in-person visits for virtual ones.

He has even gone so far as to start a company called Santa Encounters, where prospective Santas can sign up to make personalised videos for children.

"By definition, most Santas are in the most high-risk category either by age or underlying medical conditions," said Mr Ric Erwin, head of California-based Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santas.

"This is further compacted by the fact that our target demographic is young children, who are notorious vectors for all things infectious," Mr Erwin added.

Mr John Sullivan, an 81-year-old Santa from Streamwood, Illinois, has shifted to all-virtual visits.

This is the first year in his 30-year Santa career that he will not see children in person.

But this comes with the advantage of learning, in advance from the parents, about the children he will speak to.

"I learn their names, the names of their siblings, what they want, the name of their pet... So when I start talking to the kids they are like, 'Hey, this Santa knows all about me!'" said Mr Sullivan.

The pandemic has not wiped out all mall Santas, although it has altered the way many visits are conducted. Cherry Hill Programmes, which runs Santa visits at more than 700 retail locations throughout the United States, has made visits with Santa a contactless experience this year.

Guests need to wear masks and make reservations to eliminate lines, Santa and staff have daily health screenings and temperature checks, and children are not allowed to sit on Santa's lap.

Instead, Santa sits on his high chair with a plastic shield over his face and a plexiglass sheet in front of him, while guests are seated on a bench 1.8m in front of him, facing a masked photographer who then takes a picture.

A recent appearance by a mask-less Santa and Mrs Claus in Georgia turned into every parents' nightmare.

On Dec 10, approximately 50 children were exposed to Covid-19 after having their pictures taken with Santa and Mrs Claus at a Christmas parade.

The individuals who served as Santa and Mrs Claus were not symptomatic at the event but tested positive a few days later.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE