Duval County

Coronavirus: Changes to visiting Santa at Black Santa Jax

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A visit with Santa has been a cherished tradition during the holiday season each year.

Due to the pandemic, many places aren’t doing Santa visits, but Black Santa Jax has changed how they do to keep families safe.

Black Santa Jax was started three years ago by two local schoolteachers after they saw a void in the community.

Robert Gresham IV, assistant principal for Ed White High School, says representation matters so much to kids. The need to see someone that looks like them, even Santa, is important.

That’s why he puts on the Santa suit each year, but of course Black Santa Jax has had to reinvent how they do it because of the virus.

Black Santa wears a face shield in all of the photo shoots, and there is no sitting on Santa’s lap. The staff wears masks and requires families to do the same when they’re not actively taking pictures.

To learn more about Black Santa Jax, visit blacksantajax.com