The magic of Christmas, though wonderful, unfortunately slips from the grasp of most adults over time. Sure, once you have children of your own the magic comes back in waves [1], but the hustle and bustle of the holiday season paired with the insane consumerism definitely makes it feel a bit less special than when you were a child. However, there is one person who strives to keep the Christmas cheer alive year after year, and his identity gets taken on by many men with white beards in fuzzy red suits — Santa Claus.
Although many men who dress up as Saint Nick likely experience two months of simply taking one-after-the-other, run-of-the-mill Christmas photos with screaming babies [2] and listening to kids unleash their wish list [3] on them, some Santas go above and beyond the call of duty to be something truly special for the parents and children who visit them [4].
Read through for the seven mall Santa interactions that made everyone on the internet believe in the magic of Christmas all over again.
The Santa Who Had More to Offer Than Just a Real Beard
When Kelly Jackson took her kids to see Santa [8], her biggest concern was whether the man would have a real beard, which he did. Once she saw him bond with the girl in front of them over the fact that they both had hearing aids, she was completely sold — until her daughter, with a back brace, approached Santa. She was completely shocked when she realized that Santa also had a back brace on, and was making her daughter feel better about having one of her own. Kelly said: "It was MAGICAL!! He could relate to the girl with hearing devices and then could surprisingly relate to a girl with a hidden disability?"
The Santa Who Realized the Floor Is More Comfortable Than a Lap
Because Erin Deely didn't want her son to miss out on Christmas experiences [9], she took Brayden, who has autism, to a Caring Santa event for kids with special needs. When it was Brayden's turn to approach, Santa didn't hesitate and got right on the floor with him to play. After capturing several photos of their interaction, Erin said: "Oh my gosh, to be able to do something that other families do. . . . Normally a lot of things are harder for us as a family, and we got to do the same tradition as everyone else — we just do it on the floor."
The Santa Who Made a Dying Boy's Last Wish Come True
Eric J. Schmitt-Matzen does about 80 Santa gigs a year [10], but a visit to a children's hospital to fulfill a terminally ill boy's last wish — to see Santa — was the one that almost made him hang up his red suit. After an exchange in which Schmitt-Matzen gave the 5-year-old a Paw Patrol toy to unwrap and ensured that he'll get exactly where he needs to go when he dies if he tells them he's "Santa's Number One Elf," the boy embraced Santa.
"He kinda sat up and gave me a big hug and asked one more question: 'Santa, can you help me?' I wrapped my arms around him. Before I could say anything, he died right there. I let him stay, just kept hugging and holding on to him."
The Santa Who Made a Family's Day by Sleeping on the Job
Babies can be hit or miss when it comes to taking photos with Saint Nick, but when this sleeping little one was placed on Santa's lap, he begged the parents not to wake him. Instead, he staged a photo shoot of the two of them fast asleep [11] next to an open copy of The Night Before Christmas. "The outcome was the cutest thing I've ever seen," said the boy's parent.
The Santa Who Celebrated the Boy Who Defeated the Odds
When Jaxon Buell was born without most of his skull, his parents likely didn't know if a photo with Santa was ever going to be possible. However, at 15 months old, Jaxon — who wasn't expected to live long past his birth — got a special smooch when he was finally able to meet Santa Claus for the first time [12].
The Sensory-Friendly Santa Who Made Everyone Comfortable
At a special night with a sensory-friendly Santa Claus, Alison Epps thought she was finally going to get a typical photo of her son James sitting with Santa, but what ended up happening was even better than she expected [13]. Epps watched as Santa — who was sitting in his chair when her uneasy 6-year-old walked up and sat on the floor in front of the Christmas tree — got up and laid across the floor to get on James's level. She said: "So thankful to Santa for meeting James exactly where he was comfortable . . . on the floor. Santa didn't hesitate for a second. He joined him right there and did everything he could to make it a magical moment for my sweet boy."
The Santa Who Took a Photo With a Photo
A mall Santa recounted a very different type of interaction between himself and a father who came in holding a photo of an infant [14] — his son, who passed away in 2014.
"The entire photo set was silent. I said, 'Absolutely.' Without anyone saying anything, he handed me the frame and I placed it on my knee. . . . I am guessing that this is his first photo with Santa. . . . The girl working the computer printed him a full photo package and he pulled out his wallet, saying that this was going to be his gift to his wife. We gave him the printed package, telling him that it was a gift and that we would be praying for his family, this Christmas.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me in and hugged me, then turned around and left. As he walked out, we all had tears in their eyes. I'm sharing this to remind us all that Christmastime is unbelievably hard for some families. Pray for the brokenhearted. Smile at people. Just be kind. Love one another."
