CHICAGO — As the pandemic rages, children’s visits with Santa Claus are going virtual—to protect both the kids and the men in high-risk groups who dress up as old St. Nick.
“I’m not fooling around with the pandemic,” said Joe Harkins, an 87-year-old Santa from Jersey City, New Jersey. “I’m not going to risk my life for any family or public events. It’s just too risky.”
Harkins, like many of his brothers-in-red, as many Santas refer to each other, has taken his winter gig online, opting to swap in-person visits for virtual ones. He has even gone so far as to start a company called Santa Encounters where prospective Santas can sign up to make personalized videos for children….
Keep on reading: No contact for kids, Santa due to COVID