Search Results for: blog what about santa

Sensory-Friendly Santa – At a Mall Near You

One of the fun parts of the holiday season is a trip to visit Santa Claus at the local mall. It can be hard for many little ones to wait in line – but most manage to do it. Children who have autism, or who have difficulties coping with the bright lights, loud sounds, and big crowds that surround Santa can visit a Sensory-Friendly Santa. A Sensory-Friendly Santa might also be called a Sensitive Santa or a Caring Santa. Santa looks the same, but is able to behave differently than typical in order to accommodate for kids who have special … Continue reading →

When Kids Stop Believing in Santa

How can you tell if your child has stopped believing in Santa? Sometimes, it becomes obvious. Your kid suddenly declares that Santa isn’t real (and appears to be comfortable with that knowledge). Most of the time though, kids come to parents with questions about Santa. Your child is not sure what to believe, and is trying to figure things out based on whatever evidence he or she can find. What’s a parent to do? One way to handle it is to ask your child a question. “What do you think?” This gives your kid the opportunity to direct the conversation … Continue reading →

Red, White and Ready for Santa

The countdown to Santa’s visit is officially on in my home.  My 8-year-old has already plumped up the pillows on the recliner, so St. Nick will have a comfy spot to sit before he unloads his sack and piles her gifts under the tree.  My daughter also penned a short note to Mr. Claus welcoming him to our home and inviting him to nosh on the cupcakes she is leaving out for him. Yes, cupcakes. This year we are deviating from the traditional sugar cookies because my child has deduced that it would be barbaric for Santa to chomp on … Continue reading →

Inexpensive Secret Santa Selections

Take the stress out of Secret Santa gift swapping by wrapping up these interactive holiday page-turners that won’t break the bank: Santa on the Loose!  A Seek and Solve Mystery It’s the Christmas version of Where’s Waldo.  Only, pint-sized bookworms are not hunting for a geeky-looking kid wearing a striped shirt.  Rather, youngsters must read clues, don their detective hats, and find Santa to solve the mystery of the missing Christmas toys. Is the toy thief Emo the unhappy elf, Loki the dissatisfied reindeer, Roz the ravenous polar bear, Softy the sneaky snowman or Arlo the deceivingly cute penguin? Kid … Continue reading →

Why Santa Doesn’t Visit My Home

When my husband and I had our first child we were asked by grandparents if we were going to encourage her to believe in Santa Claus.  We both responded with a united no but with different reasons.  My husband felt it was a distraction from the true meaning of Christmas.  We are in agreement on this point.  But even if I could be persuaded the two concepts could live side by side, I would still struggle with keeping up with it.  I can’t even take a daily vitamin on a regular basis.  I also thought…and forgive me…having a child believe … Continue reading →

Updates: Sensory Santa, Bus Incident, Isolation Room

Have you ever read something on the Special Need Blog at Families.com and wondered, “What happened next?” If so, then the answer to your question might be right here. I’ve got a few “follow ups” to stories that I recently wrote about. A while ago, I put together a list of all the Sensory Friendly Santa events that I was aware of. The list had details about events that would take place in December of 2012. Need more? Check out the awesome list that Jennifer Cerbasi put together. She has the events broken up by state, to make it easier … Continue reading →

An Abbreviated History of Santa Claus

It is that time of year when all things holiday take center stage. For families with children, Santa Claus may be a topic of daily or almost daily discussion. Leave it to the youngsters to come up with endless questions about the mysterious jolly old man in the red suit. What is his favorite food? How does he fit down the chimney? What does he do at houses where there is no chimney? Don’t the reindeer get tired flying all that way? All these questions and more are probably familiar to parents, and they may even remember asking those questions … Continue reading →

To Santa or Not to Santa?

The Thanksgiving turkey has been enjoyed and we are now digging into the leftovers. Christmas trees are for sale at roadside farm stands. Town centers have put up lights and wreaths. It is the Christmas season, and for parents of small children, one common question is whether or not to take their children to the mall (or elsewhere) for the ubiquitous photo with Santa Claus. When I was a child, my sister and I went to see Santa at the mall almost every year. I am not sure how young we were the first time, and I am not sure … Continue reading →

Guide Dogs, iPads, Egg Allergies, and Santa

It is time, once again, for the Special Needs Blog Week In Review. There are a lot of different topics that get covered here in a given week. This time, there were blogs about iPads as tools, control of Special Education school busses, egg allergies, Sensory Friendly Santa events, the effects of smoking while pregnant, and guide dog puppies visiting the fire house. Which ones did you miss? Study Says iPads Help People with Vision Problems Read A recent study found that the iPad is a great tool for helping people who have vision problems be able to read. There … Continue reading →

Where to Find More Sensory Santa Events

A visit to the mall to see Santa can be very overwhelming to children who have certain types of special needs. The crowds, the music, and the long wait in line may be more than a child can cope with. Sensory Friendly Santa events are designed to make a visit to see Santa more comfortable for kids with special needs. Here is where to find some of these events this year. The Huntington Mall, which is located in Barboursville, West Virginia, will have a Special Santa event in their Center Court starting on November 17, 2012. There will be a … Continue reading →