STREAMING SANTA
St. Nick stand-in pivots to Zoom visits for pandemic
Everyone has had to adapt to life in the coronavirus pandemic, even the local Santa Claus.
For the past four holiday seasons in Mill Valley, Santa Claus impersonator Kenneth Brooks was a common sight as he spread Christmas joy downtown. But this year, Brooks, 70, said he didn’t want to take any chances in possibly spreading the coronavirus — especially with the current surge in cases and the shelter-inplace order.
“Mall owners around the country are doing what they can to finesse it,” he said. “I don’t want it to be construed in any way that I’m contributing to a gathering. It was so-so a few months ago when I started, but now it’s for sure. I don’t go out in my suit in public.”
So in order to keep doing what he loves while adhering to public health restrictions, he shifted his parttime business online by setting up Santa Claus Zoom meetings for families.
He converted his kitchen into a small studio by installing a green screen, professional lighting and a microphone, and he started a website at Santaclausvirtual. He said a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club and the Mill Valley Schools Community Foundation. The feedback from families has been great, he said.
Sophie Priolo, owner of Sofia Jewelry on Throckmorton Avenue, said she wanted to do something special this year for her 6-year- old daughter Gaia, who was sad the pandemic wouldn’t let her visit Santa
“I told my last family I met with that Santa has a wish for next year. And that is to be able to go out safely and not have any fear of the virus.”
— Kenneth Brooks
in person. So she decided to give the online Santa a shot.
“I didn’t want to go take my kids to see Santa behind Plexiglas,” Priolo said. “This was a better option.”
Before the meeting, she said, she spoke with Brooks to let him know what was on her daughter’s Christmas list and other details for a personalized visit.
“So then we go on a Zoom call, just like normal, and up pops Santa at the North Pole with a Christmas tree, presents and snow in the background,” she said. “It’s actually very cool. My daughter was blown away. She was so excited Santa visited.”
Priolo said Gaia’s 15-minute meeting with Santa, who also read her “The Night Before Christmas,” was worth every penny. Brooks is charging $80 through Monday and $120 through Christmas.
“It was really special,” Priolo said. “We will always remember the year she got to Zoom with Santa in the North Pole.”
Jim Welte, a spokesman for the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce, said, “You won’t find a more community-minded guy in town than Ken Brooks.”
“He’s served in many roles over the years, from local business owner and organizer of Winterfest many years ago to vocal supporter of all manner of good causes and, in recent years, a joyful, patient Santa Claus,” Welte said. “He was among the stars in our Winterfest video this year in place of our traditional Winterfest event.”
Brooks said that while the power of the green screen and online connectivity is great, it’s nothing like getting suited up as Santa and bringing smiles to people’s faces in person.
“There is no comparison to the smiles and joy and feelings I get this time of year while walking around as Santa Claus,” he said. “Be it at Winterfest or the lumber yard or down the street, as everyone comes and a big smile breaks across their face when they look at me. I miss kneeling down and saying ‘ hello’ without fear of the virus.”
In the meantime, he is glad he can bring yuletide joy to families during this hard time.
“I told my last family I met with that Santa has a wish for next year,” he said. “And that is to be able to go out safely and not have any fear of the virus. That is the part that I’m missing, but what I’m getting is that to every last one, when I admit them into my room, what I’m greeted with is a couple of beautiful smiling faces pressed to the screen and just lit up by the fact Santa is in their room. … It has reinvigorated the magic of Santa and Christmas.”