Every year for the last 36 years, the same Santa has posed for photos and listened to Christmas wishes at the Tysons Corner Center mall in Northern Virginia.
A Virginia mother surprised Santa at the mall on Friday and thanked him for being a part of her family’s Christmas for almost 20 years – her daughters’ entire childhood.
This year may be the last Christmas Elaina Ward’s teenagers visit Santa. She showed him photos from every year her daughters have visited.
“This is my whole babies’ lives, and you were a major, major part of every Christmas, so I want to thank you for that,” Ward said as she showed Santa her family photos and gave him a hug.
Santa estimated he sees about 3,000 children per day, including families who have come from as far as Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles and Dallas.
“It’s just amazing,” he said.
