Sensory Santa

By Laurie Campbell, Spartanburg County

Spartanburg County’s Sensory Santa program began in the fall of 2021, and since its inception, has continued to grow. Christmas season was approaching and the Spartanburg County Parks team sat there and asked one simple question: “Are there any people in our community we aren’t serving this holiday season? Is there anyone missing out?” There are traditional holiday events: Santa in every mall, toy drives, food drives, caroling, school concerts, cookie decorating, clothing drives, and so much more. When we asked ourselves the “what’s missing?” question, Sensory Santa was born.

Sensory-Friendly Visits with Santa is held each year at the Lake Cooley Outdoor Recreation Center. The Christmas season is known for bright lights, music and commotion. While many find joy in the holiday hustle and bustle, it can become disheartening for families who have children with special needs, who are often unable to participate in traditional experiences. This program was unlike anything offered in the region at that time. In fact, families drove from North Carolina and Charleston just to attend that first year. Each family gets a 15-minute one-on-one meet and greet with Santa. There’s no music, no flashing lights, no crowds and no pressure. With a population that often feels secluded, this event is designed so the entire family can enjoy the experience, which includes family photos so they can build memories together that will last a lifetime. Santa sits on a bench, with plenty of room next to him if children aren’t comfortable sitting so close together. Families also partake in some holiday snacks, with allergy friendly options such as dairy and gluten free hot chocolate and gluten free cookies and candies. If families arrive early, there are sensory-friendly activities and crafts in a separate space. This helps to ensure a special experience with Santa where no personal visit time would be interrupted or turned into a high-pressure situation.

We don’t dictate what special needs means when it comes to this event. It may be a family with a child on the spectrum, a family with foster children who have been exposed to trauma and leery about how they would do in large crowds, or a newborn just released from the hospital from major heart surgery and can’t be exposed to germs in large crowds. The experience may not be quantifiable. However, the experience is one that no one will ever forget, as demonstrated in the overwhelmingly positive feedback we’ve received:

“This is the first family photo in many years! Thank you!”

“So laid-back and lowkey, but at the same time very thought out, which was exactly what our kids need.”

“This was an amazing experience for our family!”

We can’t wait to do it all over again in December 2023! n