GREEN COVE SPRINGS – As Christmas approaches, a lot of things this year will be different, due to COVID-19. But as always, people, are resilient. They find ways to deal with the interruptions to life as usual and keep pushing through.

Christmas 2020 in Green Cove Springs is no different.

Typically, Santa Claus is at Spring Park on Walnut Street to take Christmas letters and wishes from the city's children. Due to safety concerns, however, Santa won’t be at the park this year.

Local children won’t have to worry, though. Local families can still engage in the holiday spirit thanks to the efforts of City of Green Cove Springs Event Coordinator Kimberly Thomas.

Thomas came up with the idea of "Letters to Santa." A mailbox has been placed in front of the pool pavilion at Spring Park. Families can drop off their letters to Santa before Dec. 15 so Santa can receive the children's wishes while keeping everyone healthy and socially distanced.

Letters also can be mailed directly to city hall: attention Santa's Helper. All notes, whether dropped off at the mailbox in Spring Park or sent to City Hall, must have a return address so that Santa can respond to them.

"This was a pretty cool way to get around Santa not being here in the flesh," said Cody Milsap, a father of two from Green Cove Springs. "As adults, we know why Santa isn't here this year, but a lot of times, it's much tougher to explain these kinds of things to young kids. We [my wife and I] had to tell our kids that Santa was just so busy this year that he didn't have enough time to come here, but they could send letters."

Mariah Mason, another Green Cove parent of young children, agreed.

"I knew that Santa wasn't going to be able to be here this Christmas," she said. "But I'm grateful that the city was able to come up with a great substitute. These letters for Santa is a great idea. Another plus is that my kids get to practice their writing, but in a way that they want to. They don't even realize that they are working. They see it as being in their own best interest because they're asking Santa for Christmas gifts."

So not only will Santa be busy this year in his workshop, guiding the elves through building, testing, packing and delivering toys for children of the world, he'll also be burning the midnight oil, reading and responding to letters from the children of Green Cove Springs.