Courtesy Santa
The most difficult thing in writing about people who make appearances as Santa Claus? What to call them.
Do you use their real names (and risk ending up on the naughty list)? Call them Santa’s helpers? Mall Santas?
For this story, we’ll stick to the names they prefer when they’re decked out in full costume: Santa and Little Santa.
Both have worked big events around town this month like Illuminations at Botanica and the big lights display at the Arc of Sedgwick County. They also performed at a number of smaller, private events.
Many annual events they usually attend were canceled this year because of the pandemic. Little Santa said his appearances dropped from 40 a year ago to 16 in 2020.
EDMONTON A group that works with single mothers in the Edmonton-area started a new holiday tradition on Saturday. The Little Santa’s event gave children a chance to spoil mom by picking out a gift from the treasure chest and to take home a ginger bread house and a free meal. The Kaleo Collective organized it as a drive-through to ensure safety. “It’s a way to start a new tradition at Christmas, it’s a way for single moms to get a really great time as a family, they get to build that gingerbread, the stress of the meal is completely off the table for tonight, and it really is an opportunity for children to experience the joy of giving back,” said Layna Haley of Kaleo Collective.