This year as some of us take our children for our yearly visit to Santa Claus, we’ll be watching them interact with him as they’re divided by plexiglass. Bass Pro Shops released a commercial highlighting how their Winter Wonderland experience would be pandemic safe. Part of this is the kids don’t actually get to interact with Santa Claus in the traditional way of sitting on his lap and asking for what they want for Christmas. Instead they will be touching the plexi-glass magic Santa shield.
It’s good that companies are putting safety practices into place. Such as the magic shield, and social distancing protocols. But it’s still really weird to think that this could become our new normal. It’s almost like living in a “The Twilight Zone” episode.
For other places like malls there will be a possibility of a plexiglass shield. For places without the shields they will be putting fake packages and other decorations out to block Santa to keep him safe from children running up to him. Your child will have to tell him what they want from six feet away.
Masks may be mandatory even while taking photos. All elves will be wearing face masks and constantly sanitizing and the line will be spaced for people to stand six feet apart. They may also require that you use an online check in system and make an appointment instead of having a line altogether.
I’m glad that they are putting these rules in place but I’m also a bit sad for the kids who are seeing Santa Claus perhaps for the first time this year. And also for the kids who won’t be seeing him at all. I know it’s not the end of the world but it’s still a bit sad to visit Santa Claus behind plexiglass.
