By Andrew Shepherd

Special Santa visit for Swift Current kids with sensitivities

Dec 9, 2014 | 4:20 PM

A trip to the mall to visit Santa Claus is a task too big for some children with sensitivities, but some kids in Swift Current are being given a special opportunity to meet with the man in red.

On Tuesday night after the Swift Current Mall closes, the lights will be dimmed and the holiday music shut off as kids with autism or sensitivity issues tell Santa what they want for Christmas.

“(It’s) a visit that some of them would never be able to have,” said Arden Fiala, the organizer of the event and the president of Saskatchewan Families for Effective Autism Treatment (SaskFEAT).

“Because they just could not handle the overload of sensory issues.”

Even Santa does his part making sure to not smell of anything like aftershave or smoke.

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Fiala’s own daughter is autistic, so she knows how special this visit is for the children involved. 

“That is the best gift, seeing parents with their children – for some, it was their very first visit with Santa.”

This is the second year that Sensitive Santa has visited the Swift Current Mall. Fiala said, if requested, SaskFEAT would be happy to bring him to other communities. SaskFEAT can be contacted at 306-297-3931, on their Facebook page or by email at saskfeat@sasktel.net.

AShepherd@rawlco.com

On Twitter: @Andrew5hepherd