No, Virginia, There is No Santa Claus: Macy’s Cancels Kringle This Year Due to Covid

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In a disheartening — if relatively trivial — sign of the times, Macy’s has announced that toy enthusiast and elf management expert Santa Claus will not be setting up shop in their stores this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The store announced Thursday that Santa would be skipping the Christmas shopping season this year for the first time since the tradition began in 1861.

But in a further illustration of these times, CNN reports that Macy’s will arrange a virtual Santa experience:

“To replicate the magical experience of visiting Macy’s Santaland for children and their families, we will shift to a virtual engagement this year,” Susan Tercero, Macy’s vice president of Branded Entertainment, said in a press release. It will be available online from November 27 to December 24.

Macy’s will limit the number of children who can participate: up to three can take part in the customized experience at one time, the company said.

The experience starts with a greeting from virtual elves who lead the way through Santa’s village and workshop, stopping to see the sights and play interactive games. At the end, kids will meet Santa through an interactive video, where they’ll be able to share their holiday wish list and take a selfie, which families can download immediately, with Santa.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but that’s definitely not a job for Jeff Toobin.

But don’t fret, Virginia, Americans will still get to see Santa during his annual appearance in the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and no pandemic can keep him from living inside your heart. There is no vaccine for the Christmas spirit!

A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood. He just won’t be giving you a deadly virus to take home to your Nana this year.

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