Fashion District Santa wears mask, sits behind plexiglass to make wishes come true

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Eight-year-old Kohen Sharp's Christmas wish came true, seeing Santa.

Of course, things look a bit different at the Fashion District amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I was really happy and I didn't know Santa was actually going to be at the mall because of the coronavirus," said Kohen.

Friday was Santa's first day on the job. He wore his mask and was as jolly as always behind plexiglass.

"I was thinking this is the best day ever," Kohen said.

It's all about safety while making Christmas wishes come true. The plexiglass allowed families to be able to capture the magic.

"For him to see Santa as you can see, his eyes lit up. As you can see, he came in and darted towards him," said Kohen's mother, Tyler Sharp.

The big jolly guy removes his mask for just a minute. It's all for the perfect picture.

Kohen's mom says this experience was also a gift for her.

"It was just a joy because they have been like in the house," she added. "The virtual learning is a lot. Everything is different this year."

Organizers at the Fashion District say they worked hard to ensure the holiday spirit follows CDC guidelines.

"We're trying to make it as normal as possible, and we're hoping having Santa will still bring joy," spokesperson Farah Farag said.

Farag says Santa will be at the mall every weekend up until Christmas.

Signs let people know to wait six feet apart. But there's also a neat mailbox where kids can drop off their wish lists that Santa will read.

Kohen was super excited to fill out his.

Even during these difficult times, Santa's elves will be pretty busy.