GREENSBORO, N.C. — Visiting Santa looks a little different this year. Many kids are either seeing Santa on video calls or visiting behind plexiglass.
We know that young kids have lots of questions about Santa Claus such as, "How can Santa visit every house in one night?" or "What’s Santa’s favorite cookie?"
This year, questions about Santa might be a little different because of the coronavirus pandemic. So, I’ve come up with a few questions and possible answers to help parents out.
In any questions that kids ask, it’s a balance for you, as a parent, to balance what’s going in the world-- COVID and all the implications of it-- without scaring your kids. When answering any question about Christmas and Santa, you should keep what the magic of Christmas means to you to guide your answers.
In many Christmas cartoons and movies, children are sitting on Santa’s lap when they tell him what they want for Christmas. What if your little one asks why they can’t sit on Santa’s lap?
Some kids might believe that they have to talk directly to Santa where no one else can hear. If a kid asks why they can’t sit on Santa’s lap, you might say, “It’s to make sure that no one gets sick. We have to wear masks and stay six feet apart. The Christmas movies were made, and Christmas books were written before the coronavirus came around. So, this year, it’s going to be a little different. And you’ll be able to tell Santa what you want either in a letter, video call or behind plexiglass. It’s a different way to talk to Santa, but it all gives you the same thing.”
If your child asks, “How can Santa visit all these houses and not get the virus?” Or, “What if Santa gets the coronavirus? What happens?”
Young children are big believers in Christmas magic. Keep that in mind when you answer. You can say something like, “Santa’s suit is one of kind suit that repels the virus. The virus can’t stick to it. Santa takes the same safety precautions as we do.”
Kids know that big groups of people aren’t allowed to get together. That’s why many schools are closed, and kids are doing remote learning. Some kids might wonder if this means that Santa’s workshop is closed too. Some kids might ask how the elves can still make toys.
Again, parents, let what you believe about Christmas magic guide your answer. You might say, “Santa and his elves have had to be pretty crafty in the North Pole." And "Santa and his elves work in safety pods where they have everything, they need to make the toys. So, they’ll be ready for Christmas.”
Share your thoughts on my Facebook page: Blanca Cobb – Body Language Expert. Write a message on my timeline and I’ll get back to you. While you’re on my page, I’d appreciate it if you give my page a “like."