No sitting on Santa's lap this year due to COVID-19

NEW YORK (WABC) -- It's not even Halloween yet, but some malls are already preparing for pandemic-induced changes to visiting Santa during the holidays this year.

Brookfield Properties, which owns 135 malls across the country, made the call to make Santa's lap off limits at malls this season.

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The plan is to keep Santa separate from shoppers. He may show up behind a giant picture frame, riding his sleigh or even in a giant snow globe.

Santa will also be wearing a mask in stores that require it.

Brookfield Properties own malls like the Staten Island Mall and Willowbrook Mall in New Jersey.

Other malls will likely follow suit because of social distancing rules.

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