Mall Santas will be pretty much back to normal this year
CNN
It's beginning to look a lot like pre-pandemic Christmas, with malls and stores bringing back tree lighting ceremonies, carol singers and a less socially distanced Santa this year.
Photos with Santa, an annual holiday tradition for many families, were upended last year by the pandemic.
Some retail locations that typically host in-person Santa visits decided to forgo the event completely. Others made changes — like putting Santa behind plexiglass, or Zooming with Santa on a large digital screen — which likely resulted in awkward holiday family photos with Kris Kringle.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday she is indefinitely delaying the implementation of congestion pricing in New York City’s borough of Manhattan just weeks before the plan was set to take effect, dealing a major blow to transportation advocates who have spent decades pushing for the deal and a win for several opponents of the plan who say the toll is a regressive tax on commuters.