'What every parent wants': Calgary mall hosts quiet Santa photoshoots for neurodiverse kids

For the second straight year, Sabrina Hyodo brought her six-year-old daughter, who has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and autism, for a photo shoot with Santa at the Southcentre Mall. 

Her visit with the big man in red happened before the mall opened to the public on Sunday morning, without the often overwhelming noise and foot traffic shoppers generate this time of year.

"For kids who are on the spectrum, you know, any kind of distraction can be big and really hard for them to deal with," said Hyodo. 

"It's nearly impossible in a regular Santa mall setting to get that shot that you're looking for."

Families registered for time slots in advance instead of lining up, and the bright lights of the festive forest set-up were dimmed to accommodate children with sensory sensitivities. 

The project was organized by the mall in partnership with Autism Calgary, which says it has been coordinating sensory-inclusive events for different holidays like Christmas, Easter and Halloween since 2014.

"I think it makes people feel, or parents feel, a sense of warmth and joy and hope … They're able to have an experience where people accept them and their families, even if a child is disturbed or having a meltdown," said Tracy Mendoza, the community and events coordinator for the association.

"I am a parent with someone who's on the spectrum and I can remember back to bringing my son here. He's also a little bit older, [but] he's not discriminated for wanting to see Santa."

Hyodo said she's thrilled with the photos taken of her daughter's Santa visit, some of which show her feeling his thick, white beard. 

She used an iPad to draw her daughter's attention to the camera. The extra time and low-pressure environment provided by the mall, she said, were much appreciated. 

"It's what every parent wants ... That photo with Santa that they can look back on each year," said Hyodo. "It sort of becomes like, you know, a tradition that you want to have."