COVID-19 Information & Protocol

Keeping our MoC Village and Communities Healthy!

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic. We all have adjusted to the new reality in the past 18-20 months.

Since then, the board and committee members at the Magic of Christmas have been hard at work coming up with ways to continue serving our community while minimizing the risk to the health and safety of our volunteers and recipient families.

As the situation surrounding COVID-19 continue to strike our communities, the province announced enhanced public safety measures. We at the Magic of Christmas are committed to adjust our operations once again to align to the new AHS mandates and the City of Calgary’s Bylaws:

Effective September 20th, 2021, proof of vaccination or confirmation of a negative COVID test will be required to volunteer in the warehouse and on the buses. Visit our FAQ page to for more details.
Face covering is required inside the Magic of Christmas warehouse at all time.

Together, we must respond to the public health crisis. We did it once. Christmas wasn’t cancelled at the Magic of Christmas in 2020. Processes we implemented and refined last year remain in place including the following:

Fewer elves on the bus
In past years, we’ve had many elves from different families working together on the buses. Like what we did in 2020, we’re going to limit the number of elves on each bus to a cohort. We’re targeting a cohort size of 7-10 people.
Spreading cheer from the street
We used to always bring the gifts into the house and Santa would give gifts to each of the family members in the visit. Instead, we’ll be dropping the gifts at the front door and stay distanced while we spread some cheer, give a wave, and sing a carol from the street or the bus.
Pre-packing Santa’s bags
Most years, our elves picked the gifts for the family while on the bus when enroute to the home. Like what we did in 2020, we’ll be pre-packing Santa sacks in the warehouse and labeling them with the visit and name of the recipient.
No costume try-ons
The costume team won’t be able to clean the costumes between try-ons, so we’ll reserve the same costume that our elves used in past years. If it’s the first year for the elf, they will get a hat and vest instead of the whole costume.
For Santas, we’ll be sizing them up from a distance and providing details about how to get themselves dressed before coming to the warehouse.
Preschedule warehouse sorting
Most years we need lots of elves to help in the warehouse for last minute sorting before the big day. To help keep everyone safe, we’re limiting the number of elves in the warehouse. We’ll post all our available shifts online (both on the website and social media) for elves to pick the days/times they can sign up to help us out.
Changes to hospital visits
Last year, our elves and Santa’s invented new ways to bring them some cheer: made outside visits, created Pass the Bear video to spread the love and distributed the Magic of Christmas bears to hospitals and care centres ahead of time.

For Christmas Eve’s COVID protocols, go to the Bus Volunteer Process page.

Thank you to everyone who has been and is helping us serve the community through this difficult and uncertain time, however long it may last. We couldn’t be more grateful to have your continued support.