"Your tree! It looks wonderful," Santa Claus said, Zooming into our living room.
My two daughters were delighted to share their lists and chatter away with Mr. Claus — even introducing him to our cat — during a virtual visit set up through the Minnesota Streetcar Museum, which usually hosts annual Holly Trolley rides with the big guy in red.
At a time when my oldest sees her teacher and classmates only on Google Meet and we all feel video fatigue, I wasn't sure that connecting with Santa online would spark any real holiday magic.
In some ways, though, a virtual meeting — with a prepared Santa who already knew their names and deftly fielded my 4-year-old's impossible request for a "pet unicorn" — proved to be more fun and meaningful than the in-person visits of years past.
No lines, no crowds, no awkward lap poses or forced grins — just five whole minutes of undivided attention from Mr. C.
As far as pandemic pivots go, Zoom Santa is pretty great. And thank goodness, because it's a chance to keep a tradition alive and, more important, help true believers continue to believe at a time when so much has been canceled or postponed.
If your family has a virtual visit with Mr. Claus coming up, here are a few suggestions for making the most of it.
Get cozy
Put a twist on tradition and make the Santa experience as cozy as possible. One Minneapolis mom whose kids recently Zoomed with one of the Mall of America Santas decided that they should all wear their holiday pajamas and have hot chocolate for the occasion. At our house, Santa graciously told our cat "Ho, ho, ho" over Zoom and promised that he wouldn't forget him on Christmas Eve.