Christmas is NOT canceled.
Winter looks a little different this year, but there’s no stopping the holiday spirit. The experts at the CDC say visiting Santa in-person is a moderate-to-high-risk activity for spreading COVID-19, but you can keep your celebrations festive and pandemic-friendly with a virtual visit in the comfort of your own home. We rounded up some options for kids of all ages to speak with Kris Kringle himself–some of which are even free! Hurry to book your appointment, as spots are filling up quickly.
Description: As many as eight households can participate in each call, so the cousins, neighbors and family friends can all join in on the fun, wherever they might be. The call includes interactive activities with Santa’s elves, like a snow-making science experiment, toy inventing, games, a sneak peek into Santa’s top secret toy lab and more! They’ve also had a special needs teacher organize a private session upon request. No photos or videos or provided.
Price: FREE
Length: 50 minutes
Website: https://family.sittercity.com/santa/
Description: Sam’s Club members are invited to choose a Santa based on race and language, including English, Spanish and ASL. Members are limited to only one visit, but as many kids can join the call as you’d like. If bookings fill up and you can’t chat with Saint Nick, kiddos can write him a letter on the Sam’s Club website that they’ll receive a response to.
Price: Free for Sam’s Club members
Length: 5 minutes
Website: https://mysantasession.com/
Description: JingleRing offers an inclusive experience for kids of all backgrounds, including a Black Santa, a bilingual Santa, an ASL-speaking Santa and one catering to children with special needs. When you schedule your booking, you can even opt for the big guy to mention some things your little ones can work on, like math homework or cleaning their room. Photo and video of the experience are included.
Price: $24.95; add a story time ($9.95) or the addition of Mrs. Claus ($14.95)
Length: 10-20 minutes
Website: https://www.jinglering.com/
Description: Before your chat, kids can watch video messages from Santa or Mrs. Claus on the Santa the Experience website to get them in the holiday spirit. For an additional $10, families can select the Elftastic package that includes a video recording of the experience, a print-at-home Nice List Certificate and a shareable photo.
Price: $34.95 – $64.95 depending on date
Length: 5 minutes + 5 minutes of magical scenes with elves before the live chat
Website: https://santatheexperience.com/
Description: Give back after visiting Father Christmas with a donation to the Boys & Girls Club. Participants will receive a video recording of the experience as well as a keepsake ornament for the tree. The link can be shared with as many family members as you’d like, so everyone can join in on the fun.
Price: FREE; participants will be prompted to make a $25 donation to the Boys & Girls Club following the call
Length: 10 minutes
Website: https://www.neimanmarcus.com/quiz/zoom-with-santa-services
Description: You pay per child for these festive Zoom sessions, but children under 2 get to chat for free. Record the Zoom for a fun keepsake video to share with friends and family. During the session, Santa might sing a Christmas carol with the little ones or read Twas the Night Before Christmas!
Price: $25 + $10 for each additional child, up to four children per session; $250 for a two-hour business event
Length: 10-30 minutes, or a two-hour live Santa for a business event
Website: https://talk2santaclaus.com/
Description: Choose from three different experiences with a range of diverse Santas, meaning your family has the option of requesting one that looks like your kiddos. Share information, like their favorite show or Christmas wish list, on up to three children for a more customized experience.
Price: $34.99 for a pre-recorded video from Santa, $49.99 for a 2-3 minute live session, $69.99 for a five-minute live session (includes an invite from Santa in the mail with a magical wristband)
Length: 2-5 minutes
Website: https://santasclub.com/
Family
Christmas is NOT canceled.
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Christmas safely this year, look no further.
