Santa Claus is coming to town, but don’t try to sit on his lap. Malls and retail stores are doing all they can to keep Santa safe from the pandemic.
Whether they’ve been naughty or nice, children won’t be able to sit on his knee this year.
Here at Bass Pro Shops in Bridgeport, Connecticut, a steady stream of children and their parents visit Santa.
An acrylic barrier separates them. Santa is surrounded by gift boxes and other decorations in an attempt to stop children from charging toward him.
Don Lemy, who is today’s Santa, says he’s happy with the precautions. “Everybody here seems to be doing a good job as far as keeping their social distancing and respecting everybody’s health.”
Macy’s cancelled its in-person visits this year. The retailer said it couldn’t provide a safe environment for the more than 250,000 people who normally show up to see Santa at its New York flagship store.
But despite the pandemic, many other malls and stand-alone retail stores are not willing to stop the holiday tradition that comes during one of the busiest shopping seasons.
