Safety was Iola Chamber of Commerce director Jill Hartman’s overarching aim in bringing Santa Claus to town … in a bubble.
“When we were first thinking about Christmas, COVID-19 rates were rising,” noted Hartman, so Chamber Board members were increasingly getting concerned about safety.
There’s still time to meet Santa. Learn more here.
For instance, “the Santa House [on the Iola square] is so small and very confined,” said Hartman, suggesting that Santa’s usual method for interacting with the public might not work out, even if visitors were required to wear masks.
“We were trying to brainstorm what we could do,” Hartman explained, where one initial idea included having a plexiglass barrier, somewhat resembling a picture frame, that Santa could stand behind.
After a bit, however, that approach fell by the wayside as well.
“Then I was just spitballing with [colleagues],” said Hartman, “And I was like ‘it’d be cool if we could put [Santa] inside of a snowglobe.’”
“It then just kinda kept on rolling.”
The Chamber of Commerce even went ahead and decided to purchase their own snow globe, both due to the logistics of renting, but because they also thought families might be able to use the globe to take holiday photos in the future.
“I’m really glad we purchased it,” said Hartman concerning the globe. “I think it’s something we can use for years to come.”
Though Santa’s globe had been scheduled to arrive last week, travel problems led it first to becoming momentarily adrift in Kentucky. Thankfully, that barrier has now been overcome, and continuing next Thursday night, Dec. 17, everyone can take part.
“Kids can still take pictures [of Santa], talk to him, see him,” Hartman said.
“The snow globe will be like “[Santa’s] new little home, his vacation home besides his regular house.”
It’s the beginning of a new local tradition.
