Video: 'Special Santa' for special kids

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The lights, sounds and crowds of the holiday season are enough to cause anyone stress.

But for children with special needs, they can be especially troublesome. It’s enough to cause some families of children with special needs to avoid photos with Santa and typical holiday scenes like shopping malls.

But one Northwest organization is changing all that with a project called “Special Santa.”

One Saturday, every holiday season, Northshore Special Families offers photos with specially qualified “Santas” and volunteer photographers at a church in Woodinville, Washington.

The whole environment is meant to be more soothing and less stressful for kids with special needs and their families. The Santas “ho ho ho” a little less, and listen a little more.

Gone are the long lines for Santa at this event, replaced by a room full of crafts where kids with special needs and their siblings can have fun while waiting for their turn for a visit with Santa.

The Stark family has only visited Santa twice, including this year. Their seven-year-old son Evan has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair.

His mother, Casey Stark, says it would be stressful just getting to the mall for a visit with Santa, but it would be even more nerve-wracking inside. Evan sometimes suffers from seizures, which could be triggered by all the excitement and over-stimuli from the mall experience.

But at Special Santa, the Stark family is at ease. Free from worry and stress, they even experience some Christmas magic.

Evan looked up and made actual eye contact with Santa. They had real connection.

“It’s rare for Evan to connect with anyone. So when he makes that connection, whether it’s with Santa or whoever, it’s a real moment,” said Casey Stark.

It’s a moment for their two young daughters, too. If it weren’t for Special Santa, they’d miss out on the whole Santa experience.

And the Santa who met with the Starks truly is special. He’s a grandfather of another child with cerebral palsy. He knows how to stay calm, quiet and friendly, bringing out the best in each child.

It takes dozens of volunteers to make Special Santa, now in its fifth year, happen. Northshore Special Families hopes to help other organizations create their own Special Santa events happen in other parts of the Northwest.

They say it takes a lot of work, but is worth every minute of effort when they see the children’s faces light up at the sight of Santa.