The Mall at Robinson opens appointments for sensory-friendly Santa visits

Nov. 30—ROBINSON TWP. — For children with autism, meeting Santa at the mall can be a stressful experience. As a result, Father Christmas is making sure these children have a way to feel safe and comfortable while visiting him this season.

The Mall at Robinson is working with Santa Claus to make a sensory-friendly environment at his sleigh in the mall's rotunda on Sunday, Dec. 5. Families with children who have autism or other sensory issues can now make appointments to visit with Santa from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in a modified mall experience.

To accommodate for sensory issues, and in partnership with Autism Speaks, Santa is arriving earlier than usual and letting kids into the mall before it is open to the public. With a quieter environment, visitors not comfortable with the usual holiday traffic this season can comfortably approach Santa and spend some extra time letting him know what they want for Christmas.

Appointments for the sensoryfriendly Santa visits must be scheduled online ahead of time at organizer Create Holiday Magic's Eventbrite page.

In addition to the special accommodations this Sunday, Santa will be visiting the Robinson Mall daily until Christmas Eve while the mall is open. While he occasionally takes breaks to feed his reindeer, he will be seated next to his sleigh in the rotunda for the remainder of the holiday season to take pictures and hear Christmas wishes.

Garret Roberts is the local Public Priority reporter for The Beaver County Times. He can be contacted at groberts1@gannett.com and can be followed on Twitter at @ReportedRoberts.

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