BROOKFIELD, Wis.— For many families, a visit with Santa at a local mall or shopping center is a simple but quintessential part of the holiday season. Like many other traditions in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t canceled them but has significantly changed the way they look. Many malls across the state are working to adapt.
At Brookfield Square Mall just west of Milwaukee, the mall is offering families both an in-person and virtual option. Mall management says that for in-person visits Santa will remain six feet apart from guests at all times and that the visit will be contactless. Guests can pose for a pic with St. Nick from a bench located in front of him. Also, guests will need to make a reservation in advance to reserve a time. Families who took part in the in-person visits tell us it was worth the added steps to still see Santa.
“It is super important, especially for the kiddos. We just have to be safe, it is good to see everyone is being safe, and even Santa is staying socially distanced but this is super important," says Alan Krueger, who brought his sons to take a picture.
Brookfield Square also offers families a virtual visit option, where people can sign up for a one-on-one virtual meeting with Santa. Mall spokesperson Melissa Cavanagh tells Spectrum News 1 that the virtual option has been well received.
“We have gotten some very positive feedback that the joy and smiles and even a few tears have been shed after those virtual visits," says Cavanagh.
Numerous other malls around Wisconsin are also offering socially distanced Santa visits. East Towne Mall and West Towne Mall in Madison, as well as CherryVale Mall near Rockford, IL are operated by the same management company as Brookfield Square. Those three malls also offer very similar Santa experiences to Brookfield Square along with the same safety protocols.