When you grow up Jewish, Santa Claus seems a bit absurd.
I mean, religion requires faith, but believing that a magical old man brought toys to all the Christian kids in the world, riding a flying sleigh, seemed like something most kids would be skeptical of. In reality, however, many kids believe until a certain age, and others go along with the ritual because it involves getting presents on Christmas morning.
Part of the Santa Claus ritual has always getting pictures taken with Jolly Old Saint Nick, sitting on his lap, and telling him what you want for Christmas.
Some kids do that in privately booked photo shoots, while many others head for the mall.
I think most kids know that the mall Santa is more an emissary of the big man than the actual man himself. Still, parents take their kids to meet him, the kids either cry hysterically, or get their pictures taken and gift choices noted before moving on.
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For about 80 years, for people living in San Francisco, that meant taking their children to Macy’s Union Square. It was a time-honored tradition that has lasted for generations, but this year, it won’t be happening.
Santa Claus, it seems, at least for San Franciscans who enjoy visiting him at Macy’s Union Square, won’t be coming to town.
Macy’s Santa Claus has other plans
Macy’s has quietly ended its tradition of having Santa Claus go from its Thanksgiving Day Parade to its store in Union Square, San Francisco.
The chain explained that decision as if it did not have the option of hiring multiple Santas to visit different stores.
“This year, Macy’s Santa will not be available at our Union Square location. Instead, he will be going on a national tour to visit stores and communities he hasn’t had a chance to appear in before, following his national arrival at the (New York) Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Macy’s officials said in a statement reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Macy’s added that the holiday season magic will continue in Union Square with its SF SPCA Holiday Windows and Macy’s Great Tree presented by Ripple.
“It seems weird without Santa Claus,” said Yvonne Fletcher and her husband, Adrian told Yahoo News. “I can’t bring my grandkids, and that’s what we were waiting for.”
Santa Claus has always been a key part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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Macy’s Santa at Union Square (San Francisco) history
- About an 80‑year tradition: Santa appeared annually at Macy’s Union Square store dating back to the store’s opening in the late 1940s ,and continued nearly every year until 2025 (excluding the pandemic year), according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
- Local cultural touchstone: Families lined up for visits and photos with Santa each holiday season, making it a cherished Bay Area tradition, the San Francisco Chronicle added.
- Same Santa for decades: From roughly 1990 to 2010, the role was played by the beloved “Santa John,” whose appearance became iconic in local family photos, reported Hoodline.
- No Santa in 2025: For the first time in nearly 80 years, Macy’s confirmed Santa won’t be at Union Square this holiday season as he embarks on a national tour after the Thanksgiving parade, shared ABC7 San Francisco.
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Santa Claus puts Macy’s on the naught list
Margarita Hernandez, who had visited the Union Square Santa as a child hadn’t known about the change and brought her
“I guess we’ll go find another Santa,” she told reporters, adding, “It’s sad. We’ve been bringing her here since she was a baby.”
Macy’s actually fired the famed Santa John Toomey.
“That 2010 incident remains one of Union Square’s most memorable holiday dramas. Toomey was dismissed after an adult couple complained about a lighthearted joke he’d told for decades: when adults asked why Santa was so jolly, he’d quip that it’s because he knows where all the naughty boys and girls live,” Hoodline reported.
He was not rehired by Macy’s but did get hired by a local restaurant, appearing for one year before he passed away.
For many families, this is an important tradition.
Leigh Eric Schmidt, author of “Consumer Rites: The Buying and Selling of American Holidays” explained the evolution of Santa Claus in department stores and malls to Catholic Online.
He said it reflects a deeper cultural truth:
“The tradition of visiting Santa at the store is more than just a commercial venture — it’s about creating lasting memories and experiencing the joy of the season,” he shared.
Macy’s and Santa Claus have over 100 years of history
- Origin in 1924: The first Macy’s parade was held on November 27, 1924, originally called the Macy’s Christmas Parade and featured floats, live animals, performers, and Santa Claus, according to NBC.
- Santa’s central role: Santa has historically appeared at the end of the parade, marking the symbolic start of the Christmas season each year since the first event., reported Encyclopedia Britannica.
- Annual holiday kickoff: Although renamed the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (by 1927), Santa’s presence has remained a key ceremonial moment, ushering in holiday shopping and festivities, added Encyclopedia Britannica.
- Near‑continuous history: The parade has run every year since 1924 except during World War II (1942–1944), becoming ingrained in American holiday tradition, according to NBC.
Cultural historians note that Santa’s appearance isn’t just commercial, it’s ritualistic.
“Culminating with a Santa Claus at the very end of the parade unveiling the holiday windows on 34th Street,” Valerie Paley, chief historian at the New‑York Historical Society, told CBS News, describing how the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has long served as a symbolic kickoff to the holiday season.
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