Santa meet-and-greets across the United States will have looked very different this year as a result of Covid.
The pandemic has taken its toll on Santas across the country, according to reports from industry organisations. Mall closures and a higher than normal loss of life have all taken their toll.
Figures from the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas (IBRBS), an association representing Santas in the US, suggest 55 deaths among its Santas this year.
Other groups of Santas have also reported deaths – both from Covid and because of old age.
Carlo Klemm, a founder of Santa’s Last Ride, told Slate he has counted 330 Santa deaths this year among close friends, and that was only “a small tip of the iceberg”.
For the roughly 1,900 other Santas belonging to IBRBS, its founder Stephen Arnold said many were at risk of falling ill from Covid – or were generally unhealthy.
“Santas and Mrs Clauses are generally fat people. Most of us are obese,” he told Slate. “Many of us have diabetes, a lot of us have heart conditions or bad kidneys or whatever it might be.”
Mr Klemm said the death rate was higher than usual because of Covid. That has in turn increased the strain on those belonging to IBRBS and other associations.
Its members have seen a 20 per cent increase in demand for 2021 – despite many shopping malls cancelling or adapting Santa meet-and-greets.
“None of our Santas were comfortable going back to the way it used to be,” said Lando Luther, owner of The “Santa Experience” at the Mall of America.
He told Axios: “They don’t mind getting spit up or peed on, Covid-19 is the concern.”
Christmas this year has come amid concerns over the Omicron variant of Covid, with cases rising both nationally and in cities such as New York.
