This time of year, one of the many festive traditions families partake in is their annual visit and photo with Santa Claus.

However, with COVID-19 spread still a big concern in the community, visits with Santa look a little different this holiday season. This year, one Santa has moved his visits with kids online.

This past summer, longtime Chapel Hill resident Jarred Chappell knew that COVID-19 wasn’t only going to change the way Christmas was celebrated this year, but also change the way kids were able to visit with Santa Claus.

“I was driving down the road one day and I was really thinking about my kids,” Jarred said. “I was thinking about how this affected them and how different everything was and just started going down that rabbit hole and one thing led to another and I eventually started thinking about Christmas and how that was going to be very different.”

Wanting to create some normalcy out of a very abnormal situation, Jared and his friend Tony Chapin decided that, amid a global pandemic, Santa needed to join the virtual world.

Luckily, Tony was very good friends with Santa. He knew him almost as well as he knew himself – in fact, they were both born right here in North Carolina.

“Well, everybody says ‘Santa has a very southern accent,’ and I say ‘well I was born at the South Pole and moved to the North Pole,’” Santa said.

With Santa on board, ready to spread some Christmas cheer, Jarred founded the website Virtual Claus. In light of the pandemic, Virtual Claus offers the opportunity for kids and families to video chat with Santa in eight, 16 or 24-minute time slots.

Because virtual visits are a little different from what he’s used to, Santa has had to get creative when using this new, online platform.

“I’ve tried to invent a few things,” Santa said. “I’ve got my magic keys that I tell them about. When you have two children it [virtual visits] stretches out to 16 minutes and then three is 24 and if they’re not talking in 24 minutes I have to break out a story.”

Despite having to do things differently this year, Jarred said virtual visits with Santa might actually be ideal for younger and more easily intimidated children.

“With something like this, I’ve seen a couple [children] where it’s a little bit easier for them to get adjusted,” Jarred said. “Rather than throwing them up into a stranger’s lap they get to see it through the computer screen and talk to him.”

As far as carrying out all of his Christmas duties during a pandemic, Santa said, don’t worry, he’s following CDC guidelines.

“I’ve had the children ask me ‘how are you going to deliver toys when we’re supposed to do this social distancing’ and I say ‘well you’re going to be in bed,’” Santa said. “So when I come down the chimney and I deliver the toys, they’re by the tree and you’re in your room – so we’re social distanced. Just make sure your dog doesn’t bite me or eat my cookies before I get there.”

To book a virtual visit with Santa Claus this holiday season, click here.

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