Canadian Malls Are Offering ‘Quiet’ Santa Visits For Kids With Autism And It’s Totally Heartwarming

Quiet Santa
Michael Kappel

On of my most and least favorite parts of Christmas now that I have kids is visiting the mall Santa. While I love the adorable photos and seeing my kids interact with their hero, “Santa,” I hate the crowds, the noise and the stress. So I can’t imagine how difficult this situation must be for parents with children who have autism and are easily stimulated. To help these kids and parents, some malls in Canada are now offering special quiet Santa visits for these kids, so they can experience the fun without the stimulation or stress.

These visits are scheduled to occur prior to opening, so parents can bring their kids in and beat the crowds. Nine malls are currently participating, which is a whopping eight more than last year. I so hope that this becomes a trend. According to one thankful mom, Carol Blossom:

“It’s about making it accessible to [my son] and all the other kiddos. It’s such a big deal to me and other people too – to come and see Santa.”

I think this wonderful gesture is beautiful, and a powerful thing to see during this “Black Friday” weekend when so many people are focused on getting deals, and less on helping their fellow person.

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