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u.s. news Diaranson 24 november 2021

The Santa experience this year is a mix of laps, distancing

(AP) — Santa is back this of them also spent money at visits, too. Cherry Hill re-
year, but he pleads caution nearby restaurants or stores, quires its Santas and other
as he continues to tiptoe he said. Last year, the com- employees to be vaccinated
through the pandemic. pany’s research found that and those with exemptions to
6.1 million households visit- be tested regularly.
“Be smart. Be caring. If you ed Santa, with fewer retailers
have the tiniest tickle in and malls offering the holi- “At the end of the day, we
your throat, the tiniest feel- day star in person. Of those want guests to feel comfort-
ing, worry about yourself visitors, 62% ate or shopped able,” Landtroop said.
and worry about everybody nearby.
else, and know Santa will al- Luther Landon has been pro-
ways be there next year,” said Saunders said projections this viding the Santa Experience
57-year-old Kevin Chesney, year have about 8.9 million at Mall of America in Bloom-
who’s been donning the big households expected to visit ington, Minnesota, for nearly
red suit since he was a kid. Santa in person, with virtual two decades. Last year, he hit Russell Hurd in Royse City,
visits still a big option. on the log cabin idea but was Texas, has been playing Santa Count American Dream, a
Amid a downturn in Jolly shut down after a day due to since 2017, after he retired mega mall of 3 million square
Old Elves — about 15 per- “Lingering concerns about the pandemic. He pivoted from the Army. He’ll be in his feet in East Rutherford, New
cent fewer in one large da- the virus and ongoing re- to virtual Santa and this year red suit to go with his long — Jersey, among retailers of-
tabase — Chesney is busier strictions in some states and will offer both. and very real — white beard fering distanced Santa. He’ll
than ever from his North localities continue to act as at the Gaylord Texan Resort be on ice, skating the indoor
Pole in Moorestown, New a brake on visiting Santa in “We think that it would be & Convention Center near rink with visitors, and also
Jersey. The photo studio person,” he said. very irresponsible of us to Dallas. His visits with the tooling around with guests in
where he works quickly sold just ignore it and pretend like throngs are distanced and hot pink golf carts.
out its 4,500 appointments Chris Landtroop, a spokes- everything’s back to normal,” masks are required. He longs
to sit with him and the seven woman for Santa vendor he said of the pandemic. for that to end. At Macy’s stores, Santa will
other Santas in the studio’s Cherry Hill Programs, is op- “We’ve hidden some micro- be making his list and check-
stable. timistic. The new rollout of phones so Santa can hear just “The way it used to be, it’s ing it twice from behind a
vaccinations for children 5 to fine. I know from our Santa meaningful for us Santas, desk, with guests seated on
They’re among the brave in 11 will certainly help. community and knowing so too. I mean, we’re human the other side.
Santa’s ranks with full-con- many other Santas that the beings. We crave that interac-
tact visits, lap sitting includ- “Santa is so back and we are majority of them are reluc- tion, but for now we do what “We’re encouraging every-
ed, though Chesney wears super excited about that. Last tant, highly reluctant, to go we can,” Hurd said. one to maintain masking
a mask until just before the year was incredibly tough,” back to the way it was before throughout their visits,” said
photos are taken. Landtroop said. the pandemic. But we also Hurd is unvaccinated and Kathleen Wright, senior man-
have some who are just like, tests regularly for COVID. ager at Macy’s Branded En-
Other Santas might not be The company has been you know what, I don’t care. tertainment. “Santa has been
wearing masks or plastic sourcing Santas all year for Having both of those groups “I know a lot of unvaxxed a part of the Macy’s tradition
face shields, or hanging out the 800 malls, big-box stores is what’s happening in the Santas across the country. I since 1862 so we’re overjoyed
in protective snow globes and other locations it serves, country, too.” mean, it’s not just Texas.” he that we can safely continue
like many did last year, but it with options for no-contact said. the tradition this year.”
seems 50-50 this season that
they’re not quite ready for
hugs, whispers in their ears
for secret wishes, and kids
smiling or sobbing on their
knees.

Some Santas will remain be-
hind barriers that popped up
last year for safety. At Min-
nesota’s Mall of America,
the big man will be housed
in a log cabin behind a win-
dow with guests seated on
benches in front of him. At
169 locations for the outdoor
retailers Bass Pro Shops and
Cabela’s, benches will also be
used, with plastic partitions
deployed at some stores for
Santa’s photo ops.

Other retailers and Santa
hosts are offering the option
of no or full contact, even
when mandates to distance
aren’t in place. And many
require or encourage reserva-
tions online to cut down on
the number of people wait-
ing.

More than 10 million U.S.
households visited Santa in
a mall or store in 2019, ac-
cording to GlobalData Re-
tail’s managing director,
Neil Saunders. Nearly 73%