New England mall's ingenious ‘Santa elevator' is a child’s Christmas fantasy come true
Natick Mall takes Santa visits to a whole other level with its magical "elevator" to the North Pole.
Visiting Santa at the Natick Mall is an otherworldly experience.
Visiting Santa Claus at the mall is a holiday tradition for countless American families, and it's usually a similar setup no matter where you go. You find the big display with the big Christmas decor, step into a long line of parents and kids ranging from giddy to terrified, wait for Santa's helper dressed in an elf costume to say it's your turn, then take pics of your kid telling a stranger in a Santa suit what they want for Christmas in an effort to give your kids a taste of holiday wonder.
But one mall in Massachusetts has upped the mall Santa bar so far it's above the clouds—literally.
The Natick Mall's "Magic Elevator Express" takes visiting Santa to a whole other magical level that even the Grinchiest of grownups can appreciate. And the idea is so brilliantly simple, it could be replicated just about anywhere.
A viral TikTok video from @natasha_luigui showing her son Kohen and his family taking the elevator as it rises up into the sky and over the clouds all the way to the North Pole is the kind of thing dreams are made of. Gears appear to move the elevator up, revealing a city stretching out below. Then the elevator soars higher, then takes off on a magical ride through the air until suddenly the North Pole appears and you end up right at Santa's front door. Then you ring the doorbell and wait.
Just watch:
People are raving about the Natick Mall's magical Santa elevator:
"OMG all my children are grown as hell but I wanna ride the Santa elevator express," wrote one commenter.
"Not me watching this entire clip with a smile on my face the whole time," wrote another.
"This brought me right back to my Christmas childhood magic and wonder," shared another. "I'd love to do this! He will never forget the time he traveled and met Santa."
"And I love that he can sit NEXT to Santa if he wants to and not be forced to sit on his lap," added another.
Here's a better view of what it looks like from the outside:
@ouulalaerica Take a trip to go see santa through “The Magic Elevator Express” at Natick Mall! It was a great experience and our pictures came out great! Huge shout out to everyone working, they were awesome! #natickmall #natickmass #santa #magicelevatorexpress
It's amazing what some wood, paint and a little video technology can do. The screens create the illusion of going up and soaring through the magical sky, though the "elevator" remains on firm ground at the mall. Santa's "living room" is right there next to it the whole time, but the effect of the elevator experience transports kids into a magical fantasy. The simple, well-executed concept makes all the difference between a standard mall Santa visit and this journey tapped straight from a child's imagination.
Well done, whoever is behind this ingenious experience. You're giving kids and families holiday memories they'll never forget.