Local companies create virtual Chill with Santa

Kevin Oklobzija//December 11, 2020//

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Santa Claus isn’t just coming to town, he’s coming to your living room, family room, kitchen or wherever your Zoom-enabled computer, smartphone or tablet is connected.

Chill with Santa creates a safe way for kids to interact during the holiday season, and also brings diversity and accessibility to the experience.

“Chill with Santa surpassed my wildest dreams,” Heather Feinman, a mother of deaf children, said in a news release. “A signing elf got them ready for the big moment. They bubbled with joy as they shared their wish lists with Santa and the final picture was perfect. The kids jumped for joy afterwards and talked about their visit all weekend.”

Two local companies — Airigami, the balloon-art company, and ROC Vox Recording & Production, a local podcast and voiceover studio — created Chill with Santa as a way to engage while maintaining the required social distancing that is required during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We imagined what it might be like for Santa at the North Pole this year,” Scott Fitzgerald, co-owner of ROC Vox, said in a news release. “What if Santa were just like the rest of us — learning how to work from home, shedding our fancy ‘suits,’ and trying to make the best of this unusual holiday season?”

Visits with Santa are 10 minutes in length. Your device must have a built-in or connected camera and microphone. Required reservations can be made at the Chill with Santa website. Cost is $35 through Dec. 20, then $45 Dec. 21-24. A downloadable photo and video is included.

The venture also provides work for performing artists who have lost income because of the pandemic.

“We hope that seeing Santa in this new environment and from a different perspective will also inspire children to view other pandemic changes in a more positive light,” said Larry Moss, founder and creative director at Airigami.

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