Los Angeles

"This Is Our New Tradition": LA's Most Sought After Santa Spreads Christmas Cheer Through Virtual Holiday Visits

December 17, 2020 / 11:10 PM PST / KCAL News

click to expand

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Despite the pandemic, Santa Claus is still coming to town.

Virtually, at least.

This year, Ed Taylor — who is known as Santa by many small children in the SoCal area — will be spreading holiday cheer by doing video chats from the North Pole.

"I have been so pleasantly surprised these virtual visits have been so much fun," Taylor said. "Santa has so much more information about the child, knows so many more things and we get to visit longer."

Taylor is one of L.A.'s most sought after Santas, hosting a number of community events like the annual tree lighting at the Children's Hospital.

Before the pandemic, Taylor booked about 100 in-person visits during the holiday. This Christmas, he's booked more than 500 virtual ones. Rates start at about $100 for 12 minutes and can go up to $750 on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Spreading cheer, not COVID, is certainly at the top of his list. And he'll be doing so from the comfort of his own home.

Even after the virus is contained, he expects holiday video chats to be the new norm.

"I have received dozens and dozens of reviews where people have said 'this is our new tradition,'" he said. "'This is what we want to do from now on with or without a pandemic.'"