How to Have an Awesome Santa Visit this Year

Head to HGTV's Santa HQ for an unforgettable Santa visit this year.

This post is sponsored by HGTV's Santa HQ and Macerich. All opinions are my own.

The annual Santa visit is a time honored Christmas tradition. I remember the excitement and anticipation of seeing the big guy as a kid myself, and now as a mom, I get to relive that magic with my twins. We've had a few memorable Santa visits, like when they were babies and actually both smiled for the camera or the time they were both terrified and I ended up in the photo with two crying toddlers.

Now, at 5, my boys are super excited to visit Santa with their Christmas lists in hand. That's why I am so happy that we discovered HGTV's Santa HQ. We had an awesome Santa visit this year and I'll let you know how you can too!

How to Have an Awesome Santa Visit this Year

We headed to Tysons Corner Center to check out HGTV's Santa HQ for our Santa visit this year. There are 15 locations throughout the country - you can find them all here.

What sets Santa HQ apart from your typical Santa visit is that it's a totally interactive, immersive experience. You won't just get to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what you want for Christmas (but of course that is the grand finale). You'll also get to enjoy tons of holiday fun along the way!

The first stop for us was the Naughty or Nice meter - this is an interactive board where your kids can stand to find out which of Santa's lists they've made (mine were a little nervous about this but it all worked out OK). 

Next we stopped to take an Elfie Selfie - where you can create and star in your own holiday video! We also took some time to check out the Elf Ray vision - this was a super cool experience where you can point the provided tablets at certain points on the walls of Santa's observatory and see his elves working behind the scenes. You can also download the Elf Ray vision app before you go and use your phone. My boys were totally enthralled with this sneak peek at Santa's workshop!

They also took the helm at Santa's Control Center and tried their hand at being elves themselves. Seriously, there was so much to do inside Santa's HQ that they almost forgot that we were there to see the man himself!

But of course, our real mission was to visit with Santa and he did not disappoint. The Santa at Tysons Corner Center is practically an institution, having been on the job for more than 25 years. He was amazing with the kids and actually got both my boys laughing and chatting away for some awesome photos (you'll have to wait for our Christmas card to see the final result).

As our visit wound down, we were sure to stop by Santa's mailbox to drop off our letters to Santa and grab a free activity book for the ride home. 

We were also able to enjoy the spirit of giving through HGTV's Help Through Holiday Giving Drive. Visitors to Santa HQ can drop of new, unwrapped toys for local children in need. It's an awesome opportunity to remind your kids of the true meaning of Christmas while helping local organizations like Forgotten Angel Tree, Salvation Army Angel Tree, Toys for Tots, and Spark of Love Stuff a Bus.

The Secret to an Awesome Santa Visit

I'll let you in on a tip to make the most of your visit to Santa HQ. Save time waiting in line by making a reservation online. This is GENIUS. Simply click here to find your location and select your date and time. You can even pre-pay for your photo package! 

You can even opt-in to receive text reminders of your Santa photo session, which is super helpful to those of us suffering from holiday mom brain overload. Believe me, I need all the reminders I can get this time of year!

Santa's HQ was an unforgettable experience and a great way to kick off the holiday season. Check out all the magic of HGTV's Santa HQ for yourself in the video below!

Click here to find your local Santa HQ location and make your reservation for a Santa visit today.

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