Quiet Santa Visits with Autism Spectrum Children

There’s holiday cheer afoot this year as 140 malls across the country are providing “Quiet Santa” time for children with autism spectrum disorders. Trained by the California-based non-profit, AbilityPath.org, the malls open their doors before the shopping day starts to avoid crowds, the agony of waiting and the many other sensory pitfalls of public spaces. Time is scheduled for each family to visit with the “understated” Santa who is trained to read each child’s cues and respond to them accordingly.

Lights are dimmed, escalators shut down, music paused and water features stilled to provide a calm and welcoming experience. An activity table awaits with coloring books and toys. There’s a chair set up for children next to Santa if the prospect of his lap is just too much. Many kids sit on their parent’s lap beside him. Families are delighted to be able to take a Christmas photo that in years past would’ve been impossible.

Happy parents and children are no longer shut out from a Christmas ritual neurotypical families take for granted. The number of participating malls tripled from last year. One can only hope that number expands exponentially in the future.