mall Santa

Definition

A person hired to dress as Santa Claus and meet with children during the Christmas season at shopping malls, listening to their wishes and posing for photographs. A seasonal retail tradition since the 1920s.

Example Usage

Every December, the mall Santa sits in the center court taking pictures with excited kids.

Origin

The practice emerged in department stores in the 1920s and became ubiquitous in shopping malls by the 1960s.

Fun Fact

Professional mall Santas often attend training schools to learn character consistency, child psychology, and safety protocols.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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