For a brief moment in Santa’s cabin, life was calm for an Etobicoke family whose days are typically anything but.

Amorosi siblings Domenico, 5, Lucca, 4 and Valentino, 2, sat attentively in their matching checkered shirts and festive red ties, listening to Santa Claus tell a story while their parents Cherie Mallen and Joe Amorosi looked on.

There was no lineup behind them, no children wailing nearby or a crowd of exasperated parents waiting their turn for a photo.

It was a huge relief for the parents, who had pre-booked this appointment with “Sensitive Santa.” The reason? Two of the couple’s four young sons — Lucca and Valentino — have moderate autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The private Santa sessions happening now at the Eaton Centre are an initiative from Autism Speaks Canada and Cadillac Fairview, offering a calmer, “sensory-friendly” environment for children with ASD.

“It’s a huge gift for the kids, but it’s more of a gift for the parents,” says Mallen. “Going and waiting in those lines — they’re long — then the kids get impatient, and the meltdowns start to happen . . . usually the pictures come out with kids crying.”

“A lot of research and studies and personal experience from families . . . tells us that a visit with Santa can be an overwhelming experience for individuals with ASD,” says Carrie Habert, director of marketing for Autism Speaks Canada. “It can be sensory overload, it can be hectic . . . it can be challenging for parents if they have more than one child.”

That’s the case for Mallen and Amorosi. Their 1-year-old, Vincenzo, stayed with a family member for their Sunday Santa visit; Mallen says that so far, he’s not showing signs of ASD — a big relief for the couple after having two sons already diagnosed.

ASD is a disorder that impacts social interaction, and can create repetitive and restrictive patterns of behaviour. Symptoms vary widely, from mild to severe, so “Sensitive Santa” can be modified depending on the needs of each child, Habert says.

The children don’t have to climb up on Santa’s lap if they don’t want to, and the log cabin space just outside the Eaton Centre offers a quiet, private environment. “Sensitive Santa” and his helpers also received training materials from Autism Speaks Canada. There are no formal photographers — though parents can snap their own holiday shots as they wish — and no bells or loud noises.

Cookies are provided, a treat gleefully accepted by the Amorosi boys who wound up with lots of frosting on their faces.

Mallen says she’s grateful for the whole “Sensitive Santa” experience.

“I really appreciate someone who stops and thinks, ‘This is what we should do for kids and families.’ It seems like such a small thing, but it’s a big thing,” she says.

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“It’s really about giving families an opportunity to enjoy the holidays and alleviate a little bit of stress,” says Habert.

For more information on the “Sensitive Santa” initiative, email santaslogcabin@cadillacfairview.com . There are a limited number of appointments available.

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