What to Know
- It's a Christmas tradition for families around the Delaware Valley: Visiting Santa at the mall.
- Jolly old St. Nick has already started hearing gift requests and taking photos at some malls. He is arriving soon at other malls.
- The early arrival of Santa gives shopping centers a chance to get a jump start on the holiday season.
Santa Claus is coming to... a mall near you, sooner than you may have thought.
The annual tradition of having the little ones telling Santa what they want for Christmas brings shoppers to malls around Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Most malls bring in Santa before Thanksgiving to get a jump start on the critical holiday shopping season.
Meeting Santa also serves as a family memory opportunity. Many people also get a photo of their children (or pets, in some cases) with jolly old St. Nick.
Kathy Smith, director of marketing at the King of Prussia Mall, where two Santas are already holding court, explains what it's all about: "Santa's arrival is nothing short of festive. This wonderful holiday tradition has carried on for many years and is something that continues to generate excitement within our loyal community of shoppers."
Here is a list of when Santa Claus arrives (or has already arrived) at malls around the Philadelphia region, ho-ho-ho!
Pennsylvania:
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King of Prussia Mall - Santa in the Bloomingdale's Court arrived at KoP on Friday, Nov. 1. The Nordstrom Court Santa arrived Friday, Nov. 8.
Philadelphia Mills Mall - Santa arrives on Friday, Nov 15.
Springfield Mall - Santa arrives on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Montgomery Mall - Santa already arrived on Friday, Nov. 1.
Plymouth Meeting Mall - Santa arrives on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Willow Grove Park Mall - Santa arrived on Friday, Nov. 8.
Shops at Valley Square - Santa arrives on Friday, Nov. 29.
Exton Square Mall - Santa arrives on Saturday, Nov. 9.
The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley - Santa arrives on Thursday, Dec. 2.
Lehigh Valley Mall - Santa already arrived on Friday, Nov. 1.
Berkshire Mall- Santa arrives on Saturday, Nov. 16.
Neshaminy Mall - Santa arrives on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Oxford Valley Mall - Santa arrived on Friday, Nov. 8.
New Jersey:
Cherry Hill Mall - Santa arrives Saturday, Nov. 9.
The Mall at Short Hills - Santa already arrived on Thursday, Nov. 7.
The Mills at Jersey Gardens - Santa arrived on Friday, Nov. 8.
Freehold Raceway Mall - Santa arrived on Friday, Nov. 8.
Menlo Park Mall - Santa already arrived on Friday, Nov. 1.
The Shops at Riverside - Santa arrived on Friday, Nov. 8.
Deptford Mall - Santa already arrived on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
Willowbrook Mall - Santa arrives on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Newport Centre - Santa already arrived on Friday, Nov. 1.
Delaware:
Christiana Mall - Santa arrives on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Concord Mall - Santa arrives on Saturday, Nov. 16.
Dover Mall - Santa arrives on Friday, Nov. 15.
