MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Santa will be stopping by Foothills Mall in Maryville this Christmas, with new safety guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The visit will be managed by Cherry Hills Programs.
Officials announced that children will be able to share their wishlists with Santa Claus and visit along with their families. However, children will not be able to sit on Santa's lap, to maintain social distancing.
Guests are encouraged to schedule their visit with Santa in advance, to help reduce wait times and promote contactless payments. Walk-up visits will still be available at the mall throughout the day, as space allows. Everyone will be wearing masks during visits.
Santa Claus and his staff will also have daily health screenings and temperature checks, officials said. Workers will also also be focused on hygiene and cleanliness at the set, officials said.
People will also be able to choose between an in-person visit with Santa or an online visit. Families that choose to visit Santa virtually will be able to go online and select different experiences with him including personal video calls, a holiday magic traditions box, Story Time and other options.
A full directory of experiences managed by Cherry Hill Programs, including opening dates, hours and direction will be available online starting Monday, Oct. 19. They partner with more than 700 locations to help Santa visit families across the world.
They said that experiences with Santa will follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and local health agencies.