Santa To Appear Behind Plexiglass, Virtually At Cherry Hill Mall

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Visiting Santa Claus at the Cherry Hill Mall will be a unique experience amid the coronavirus pandemic, the mall’s owners announced.

Santa will be stationed behind plexiglass when he arrives at the mall beginning Nov. 6, the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) announced.

Guests will be able to sit on a bench in front of Santa for their own protection, PREIT said. They will be able to interact with each other through the shield, and remove their masks for a quick snap when it comes time for pictures.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

For those who remain nervous about going out in large crowds, the mall is also offering a virtual experience, in which visitors can reserve a 5-minute one-on-one Zoom call with Santa. They will be able to keep a recording of the conversation as a gift.

During the Ultimate Santa Experience, visitors can meet with Santa for story time and a picture for $16. This will be available Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Anyone who doesn’t want to take a picture with Santa can still meet him during a free-in-person visit. The whole family can also take a picture together in front of a holiday background before meeting with Santa.

Finally, beginning with the first Monday after Santa’s arrival, families can bring their pets to get their picture taken with Santa. This will be available every Monday through Dec. 14.

Santa will be at the mall from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Photo packages start at $19.99, while the Zoom calls and pet pictures will cost $29.99.
Reservations are required for all Santa and photo offerings. To learn more about photo packages and to make reservations for a Santa visit or photo experience, visit the mall’s website.