– Popular Caring Santa Back as Well –
Eager children and their families can once again experience the magic of the holiday season with a visit to the Simon® Santa Photo Experience at The Shops at Mission Viejo. Children can be photographed with Santa through December 24 in his winter wonderland, on the lower level near Nordstrom. Visithttps://www.facebook.com/events/480318018752360/ for a complete list of dates and times.
The Shops at Mission Viejo will also be the place for Santa to greet special needs children and their families via the popular Caring Santa program.
The presenting sponsor for the 2013 Simon Santa Photo Experience is Microsoft retail store.
ABC Family, Universal and Gymboree are associate sponsors this year.
“One of the great traditions of holiday shopping at The Shops at Mission Viejo is the annual family visit to the Simon Santa Photo Experience,” said Patsy Sanquist, director of mall marketing at The Shops at Mission Viejo. “I know Santa can’t wait to greet children bringing him their holiday wishes.”
CARING SANTA TO BE HELD AT THE SHOPS AT MISSION VIEJO
on December 8th, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on the lower level near Nordstrom. Caring Santa is a special event dedicated to families that have children with special needs, providing a subdued environment to visit the Simon® Santa Photo Experience.
Caring Santa has been developed by Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE:SPG), the world’s leading retail real estate company and is guided by AbilityPath.org, a national online resource hub and special needs community.
Simon’s Caring Santa program has grown in popularity in a few short years to become the most comprehensive offering of its type in the shopping center industry. Started in 2010 in just a handful of malls, today over 100 Simon regional malls participate. Last holiday season, the program was featured on such national outlets as ‘Entertainment Tonight’ and www.parents.com, and well-known regional outlets such as The Orange County Register.
Many steps are taken to reduce sensory triggers, creating a more comforting environment for the children’s magical visit with Santa. This environment is likely to include (specific elements or aesthetics may vary):
· Turning off in-mall music, stopping escalators located near the Santa set, dimming the lights, and shutting down fountains during the duration of the event.
· Eliminating queue lines through the use of a numbering system whereby guests approach the set when their number is called.
· Special activities and stories geared toward the needs of the child during the ‘wait’ period to help the child understand what activities will occur during the visit.
Sheryl Young, CEO of AbilityPath said, “That moment when a child gets to meet Santa is a magical one, and every child should get to have this magical moment. Unfortunately, many children with special needs have never had this opportunity. The hustle and bustle of the malls can be overwhelming to the children and their families. That is why we facilitate the Caring Santa Program with Simon Property Group; to create an environment that will lessen potential triggers for children with special needs.”
“We are thrilled to be the venue for this incredible event,” said Patsy Sanquist, director of marketing and business development at The Shops at Mission Viejo. “The Caring Santa program brings a lot of joy to children with special needs and to see that happen at our mall is truly an honor.”
Participants are encouraged to RSVP for the Caring Santa event at The Shops at Mission Viejoby going to www.CaringSanta.com. The event is free and professional photo packages will be available for purchase through The Shops at Mission Viejo’s photo operator. The event will be held during private mall hours in order to provide a calmer sensory-friendly environment, so please enter the mall using The Cheesecake Factory entrance.
For more information, visit The Shops at Mission Viejo on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ShopsAtMissionViejo, Twitter at https://twitter.com/ShopsMV or Instagram athttp://instagram.com/ShopsMV/.
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Noelle Ibrahim
Account Executive
