Good little girls and boys won't be whispering in Santa's ear this year, but they can share their wish lists from a safe distance while wearing masks at Newmarket's mall this year.
Upper Canada Mall's festive holiday offerings include a physically distanced visit and photograph with Santa on his Holly Jolly Sleigh, available by reservation only to minimize traffic.
The custom-built Holly Jolly Sleigh is made of two pieces that are each six feet in length, allowing guests to sit in the front part of the sleigh, while Santa sits in a second piece that is elevated one foot above the front with a non-reflective sheet of plexiglass. The height difference creates the perspective in a photograph that Santa and his guests are closer than they actually are.
Additional safety measures include daily temperature checks and mandatory masks for employees, including Santa, floor markers for physical distancing, disinfection of the sleigh and touchpoints after each visit and hand sanitizer on-site. The set will also be cleaned at closing and during each of Santa’s breaks.
Face coverings are mandatory for all visitors ages two and older, as mandated by the Region of York.
Visits with Santa can be booked online here until Dec. 24.
