Annual event gives kids of all abilities moment with Santa

<p><strong>W</strong>ith a Christmas list in his hand, eight-year-old Logan Jackson told Santa exactly what he wanted this year — an activity he hasn’t always been able to do in the past.</p><p>Logan and his twin brother, Luke, have autism, and seeing Santa in the normal mall setting is difficult with the line, all the people and different noises. But, with the help of Simon, the owner of the Greenwood Park Mall, children of all abilities, such as Logan and Luke Jackson, have the opportunity to see Santa in a quiet, sensory-friendly setting.</p><p>Logan Jackson normally wears noise-cancelling headphones in public, but when he saw Santa, he took his headphones off. He sat down and he and Santa went through each item on his Christmas list, which he made the night before, his mom said.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery<p>“Santa was awesome. He does a really good job,” said Logan and Luke’s mom, Susan Jackson. “He read through every little thing (on his list).”</p><p>Their family has been coming to Caring Santa for four years, and this was one of the few times Logan was talkative with Santa, Susan Jackson said.</p><p>The Greenwood Park Mall provides the Caring Santa event on Sunday mornings before the mall opens to provide an environment with shorter lines, no music, less lights and less people. Children have the opportunity to have more personal interactions with Santa, who also accommodates each need.</p><p>For some children, this is first time they are sitting on Santa’s lap. Eight-year-old Landon Redd was never able to have this experience because of the rushed process and the amount of people, his mom, Lacia Redd said.</p><p>Landon Redd is very quiet, she said, but Santa was patient and took time to listen to what he had to say, which is something many people don’t do with Landon.</p><p>“He got to sit next to him, they high-fived and he told him he wanted a Hatchimal,” she said.</p><p>They now plan to make Caring Santa a tradition.</p><p>“This was something I did as a kid, and it’s something I’ve always wanted him to do, but because he’s not your average kid, the circumstances are little bit different,” Lacia Redd said.</p><p>Another first-timer at Caring Santa was Carl Kline and his brother Jackson. Carl doesn’t do well in lines and he sometimes has meltdowns, his parents, Sarah and Steve Kline said.</p><p>Caring Santa helps Carl have a better experience with Santa, they said.</p><p>“It was nice we could set a time and come,” Sarah Kline said. “The mall gets really loud when everyone’s here and the music is on, so it’s nice.”</p><p>Jennifer Collins found Caring Santa at the last minute, she said. Her two children came from foster care and have sensory needs, she said, so attending an event such as this was helpful. Her daughter, Krystal, 5, was able to give Santa a big hug, she said.</p><p>“She loves to talk to Santa,” Collins said. “They are a little more grabby than most kids, but he didn’t seem to mind.”</p><p>Due to the growing demand of families attending Caring Santa, the Greenwood Park Mall extended the event to run for three Sundays. Slots are still available on Dec. 9 and Dec. 16.</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="If you go" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>Two more Caring Santa events will take place in December. Slots are still open on both days. Here is a look at the next event dates and times.</p><p>8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 9</p><p>8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 16</p><p>To sign up for a time visit: <a href="http://simon.com/mall/greenwood-park-mall/stores/santa-photo-experience/stream/caring-santa-6041971">simon.com/mall/greenwood-park-mall/stores/santa-photo-experience/stream/caring-santa-6041971</a></p>[sc:pullout-text-end]