For most families, it’s an annual tradition to head to the mall, battle crowds and patiently wait in line for a moment with Santa. But for families with a child on the autism spectrum, the task can be nearly impossible.
“To go to the mall during mall hours to see Santa, we tried it and it was a disaster. The noises, the crowds, everything was so intense for him,” Lori Neault, whose son is on the autism spectrum, said.
“It ended up in a big scene so we just said no more seeing Santa.”
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That’s why Neault and her son Josh came to Sensitive Santa on Sunday evening at Lawson Heights Mall.
The event takes place once the mall is closed, providing a quiet, sensory-free environment where children can spend as much time as they need with Santa.
“It’s just been a wonderful thing for us to do as a family. Not have to worry about the crowds, the noise and everything going on in the mall at that time,” Neault added.
It’s the second year for Sensitive Santa, which is organized by Lawson Height Mall and Autism Services Saskatoon.
“A lot of them have certain triggers, whether it’s lights, noises or it’s super over-crowded,” Alex Scott, the family program director at Autism Services of Saskatoon, said.
“They get over-whelmed and have the occasional meltdown so that’s why we like to have a quiet after hours calm environment where they can actually enjoy Santa Claus.”
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Adam Schulte was one of 35 kids who visited St. Nick on Sunday evening, sharing his Christmas wish list.
“It was so awesome, I got to tell him what I want for Christmas,” Schulte, who doesn’t like crowds but loves Santa, said.
“I want three rock band things. A guitar controller, drum controller and a microphone,” he said while sitting on Santa’s lap.
“It’s just so much better for Adam because he gets over whelmed by social situations where there’s a lot of noise,” Adam’s mom, Jan Schulte, said.
“Coming to this there is just a few people and he can take his time to see Santa and talk to him. He doesn’t feel pressured.”