Instead of tumbling down a chimney, he will deliver virtual gifts online to tech-savvy children. And rather than write hand-scrawled notes from the North Pole promising toys to all those who have been good, three Nashville-area malls are offering parents a $5.49 service so a suddenly "New Media" Santa Claus can send their little ones customized text messages.
Technology is changing Christmas more than ever these days, even for adults who scour the Internet for deals before heading to the malls or who sign up for e-mail alerts from retailers blasting out information on last-minute sales.
All this digital change makes some traditionalists ill at ease as they fret about whether some aspects of technology might darken the meaning of the Christmas holiday itself.
"Santa to me doesn't seem really tech savvy," said Jessica Turner, a 27-year-old who works in marketing, adding that she wouldn't want her son to get a text message from Santa. "I think tradition really adds to the magic of the season."
Turner said she plans to document her family's Christmas traditions in a carefully crafted scrapbook, and when her son, Elias, is old enough, he'll put out carrots for reindeer, cookies for Santa and write the jolly old gift-giver a personal note.
Quaint. But Santa is evolving with the times, even as some parents try to hold back the electronic buzz.
This year, CoolSprings Galleria, Hickory Hollow and RiverGate malls allow consumers to sign up via their Web sites for Santa's text messages delivered straight to someone's cell phone. The service is provided by a mobile marketing company, Anchor Mobile. It lets users send three text messages from Santa before Christmas Day. An extra 99 cents nets the customer a Christmas Day message, too. (Some of the proceeds aid the March of Dimes.)
"(Kids) want to be communicated with in a way they're used to," said T.J. Kirgin, CEO of Anchor Mobile.
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