Megan Banta|Lansing State Journal
LANSING– He knows if you've been naughty or nice.
But can you still tell Santa what you want for Christmas this year?
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Claus is still coming to town— with some safety precautions — to see people in person.He's also doing video calls, and you can always go old-fashioned and send a letter.
Here are some options for kids — or adults— to tell the big man in red what you want delivered through the chimney this year:
Head to the mall or go virtual through shopping centers
Lansing Mall in Delta Township is offering in-person photos— with safety precautions— this year.
Families can reserve a spot here.
Santa Claus is coming to town but it might look different this year
Santa Claus is still coming to town, but face-to-face visits will look different due to COVID-19.
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There's also a virtual option through Jingle Ring.
Families can reserve times here, and there's an option to have Mrs. Claus read a story.
Meridian Mall also is offering in-person visits with Santa through Christmas Eve.
StartingFriday, Santa will be visiting Center Court from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. He'll take breaks from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays and from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Sundays to feed the reindeer.
Santa has to leave early on Christmas Eve, when he'll visit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a break from 1 to 2 p.m.
He's taking a break Monday and will take anotherDec. 7.
Families can make reservations to see Santa during those hours here.
Meridian Mall also is offering a virtual option through Create Holiday Magic. Families can learn more here.
Go to Peacock Road Family Farm
Santa will also be stopping by Peacock Road Family Farm, located just south of Laingsburg.
The farm is offering its train rides and special wagon rides to the North Pole, where families can talk to Santa.
He'll be behind a "magic shield" but will still take photos.
Train cars seating up to six people are available for $80 per car. Tickets are available here.
The farm is also making a party wagon available for up to 16 people from the same family for $160. Those tickets are available here.
Families can visit Santa at the farm from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sunday. For the entire week before Christmas, the "Santa Experience" will be available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Call Santa online or on the phone
There are plenty of virtual options available in addition to the ones the two malls are using, including:
- Macy's Santaland (at home)
- Mr. Kringle and Co.
- Chatbooks(this option is free)
- Cameo
You can also dial the Santa Hotline, a free number that goes straight to Santa's voicemail box in the North Pole.
Call 605-313-4000 to leave Santa a message. If you speak Spanish, you can call 605-313-4001.
Write a letter
Of course, you can always reach Santa by mail.
The United States Postal Service has two options for sending Santa a letter— and getting a response.
Parents and guardians can write their own reply as Santa through the Greetings from the North Pole program. Return letters get postmarked from the North Pole.
Here's how to participate:
- Children can write a letter to Santa and place it in an envelope addressed to: Santa Claus, North Pole.
- Along with that letter, write a personalized response and sign it "From Santa."
- Put both letters in an envelope addressed to the child with a first-class stamp and return address ofSanta, North Pole.
- Place that envelope in a larger one, with postage and mail it to North Pole Postmark, Postmaster, 4141 Postmark Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99530.
USPS recommends sending letters by Dec. 7 so the postmaster gets them by Dec. 14.
The post office also recommends writing the response on the back of the child's letter to save paper. Responses should include accomplishments over the past year to be as personal as possible.
Children can also get responses from volunteers through Operation Santa.
Here's how to send a letter to Santa and get a response using this program:
- Write your letter on one of the post office's special templatesor on your own paper.
- If you're asking for clothes and shoes, include sizes and colors. If you're asking for toys, games and books, be specific.
- Put the letter in an envelope and address it to Santa Claus at his official address: 123 Elf Road, North Pole 88888
- Write your full name and address in the upper left corner.
- Put a first-class stamp in the upper right corner
The postal service will upload letters — with personal information obscured— for adoption as long as they'rereceived before Dec. 15.
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People can go to USPSOperationSanta.com from Dec. 4 to 19 to adopt letters and send gifts. More details are available on the post office's website.
Because Operation Santa is volunteer based, there's no guarantee every letter will receive a response.
What about Christmas Eve?
Have no fear. Santa Claus is still coming to town.
And he won't bring or catch COVID-19 while visiting to deliver gifts through the chimney.
At least, that's the word from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert.
"Santa is exempt from this because Santa, of all the good qualities, has a lot of good innate immunity," Fauci told USA TODAY.
Santa also has been careful, following guidelines and doing virtual visits.
Read more: Fauci says Santa Claus has 'innate immunity,' won't be spreading COVID-19 to anyone this Christmas
He has to be careful because even though experts say he's immune to COVID-19, he's had the flu before.
More than a hundred years ago, on Dec. 6, 1918, theSt. Paul Daily News announcedthat"SANTA CLAUS IS DOWN WITH THE FLU." Santa didn't visit any big department stores that year.
