Visiting Santa in person and virtual during the pandemic

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- Santa is here from the North Pole to bring the Christmas cheer!

But visits with him are going to look a little different this year. 

Santa is working extra hard to keep himself, his elves, and you safe from COVID-19! 

“There’s just some tremendous surges in the coronavirus all across the land there and of course I along with everyone else has everyone’s health and health concerns first and foremost in our minds,” said Santa. 

In order to stay safe, children who visit Santa must wear a mask and stay socially distanced. You can’t touch Santa or sit on his knee, but he will still remember all of your Christmas wishes. 

“That’s how it’s changed mainly. Not having the personal contact and having a child sit on my knee, of course I miss that. but times are different this year and we have to make an adjustment.” 

If you want to get a little closer to Santa, you can visit him virtually as well. 

“Kids are so computer savvy and online all of the time, it just seems like second nature to do it virtually. 

Just ask your parents to help you hop on the computer to have a live virtual visit with Santa right from the North Pole. 

If you decide to visit Santa in person at Greenwood Mall, they have some tips for you. 

“We have extra hand sanitizer, and we’re also encouraging reservations through our website just to keep traffic volume at a minimum so people are spaced out so we can maintain the socially distanced requirement for a good visit with Santa,” said Greenwood Mall General Manager Shelli Rose.