Sensitive Santa Brings the Gift of Joy
2022 Sensitive Santa is all wrapped up in a big red bow!
It was another year full of smiles and magic as we had over 270 families and 450 individuals of all ages come to visit Santa and experience the magic of Christmas. We saw some familiar faces and many new ones, creating memories together with their families.
Our Sensitive Santa sessions are held before the shopping centre doors are open to the public to allow families to visit during quiet hours to support their sensory needs. Each session includes additional time to explore Santa’s grotto and chat to him before taking photos. Our team are also available to support the families and provide resources and visuals to make the visit enjoyable for all.
A big thank you to Westfield Booragoon, Lakeside Joondalup, and Karrinyup Shopping Centre for partnering with us to bring these sensory sessions and creating an inclusive experience for all to enjoy.
For many families, having this additional quieter time has given them the opportunity to have their very first Christmas photo. Take a look at some of the festive fun below!
Check out what some of the families said about their session this year:
- We attended today at Karrinyup and it was the best! Beautiful helpers! Beautiful photographers! Excellent Santa ! Stress free, calm, welcoming and we got amazing photo’s! Thank you thank you thank you!
- Thank you so much, what you do is wonderful, we are only recently diagnosed but that experience was just so wonderful compared to our usual visit
- As usual Autism Association were incredible and Ashleigh who has known the kids for 5 years gave Santa the heads up on what both needed from the experience.
- Thank you so much for all of the effort and work you put into making kids dreams come true.
- So great that this is an option! We couldn’t take our daughter to see Santa otherwise.
- Thank you Autism Association of Western Australia! Our visit was just magical, we sure do appreciate you!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for another fantastic year of Sensitive Santa and of course a big thank you to Santa himself!
Sensitive Santa is very popular and this year sessions filled up fast! If you want to be the first to know when sessions are released next year, email Inclusive.Communities@autism.org.au to get on the Sensitive Santa mailing list for 2023.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and we will see you next year!
