NUMBER OF THE DAY
Mall Santas Relocate To Zoom, by the Numbers
Social distancing requirements have sent Santas online and behind plexiglass
500%: That’s the increase over last year in virtual Santa Claus visits on HireSanta, a platform where retailers and event organizers can book Santa appearances, via Bloomberg Businessweek.
Santa Claus has been an in-person fixture at shopping malls every holiday season for decades. But as the third wave of coronavirus infections continues to rage across America, Santa — one of the malls’ biggest end-of-year draws — is largely missing this year, imperiling the already meager footfall for retail stores. Just 45% of Americans say they plan to visit a mall this holiday season, down from 64% last year.
Still, not all retailers have given up on making St. Nick available to the families who want to greet him. Some have him wearing a mask and keeping a safe distance from the families who come to visit, others are putting Santa behind plexiglass. Bloomberg reports that HireSanta also offers custom plexiglass “Santa shields” that allow children to sit beside Santa and talk to him without the risk of infection.
The safety measures are as much for the families as they are for the actors who play Santa, only 30% of whom say they will conduct in-person visits this year.
We wouldn’t want Santa taking the coronavirus back to the North Pole.
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