This Article is From Dec 02, 2016

Mall Of America, Largest In The United States, Hires First Black Santa

Mall Of America, Largest In The United States, Hires First Black Santa

Santa Experience co-owner says they "want Santa to be for everyone, period."

Highlights

  • Largest mall in the US is hosting its first-ever black Santa Claus.
  • Santa experience says they "want Santa to be for everyone, period."
  • Larry Jefferson will play Santa in the Dallas-area.
Bloomington, Minnesota: The nation's largest mall is hosting its first-ever black Santa Claus this this weekend.

The Star-Tribune reports The Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis hired Larry Jefferson to play Kris Kringle from Thursday to Sunday as part of its Santa Experience.

Santa Experience co-owner Landon Luther says they "want Santa to be for everyone, period." With that in mind, he tells the newspaper he launched a nationwide search for a diverse Santa and found Jefferson at a Santa convention in Branson, Missouri, over the summer. He was the only black Santa among the 1,000 impersonators in attendance.

Jefferson tells WCCO-TV that playing the jolly old elf is "no big deal" to him, saying "I'm still Santa, I just happen to be a Santa of color."

Jefferson will return home to play Santa in the Dallas-area after Sunday.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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