Beloved Macy’s holiday tradition comes to an end after 80 years

When you grow up Jewish, Santa Claus seems a little ridiculous.

I mean, religion requires faith, but believing in a magical old man riding a flying sleigh to bring toys to all the Christian kids in the world seems like something most kids would be suspicious of.

However, in reality, many children do not believe until a certain age, while others agree with this ritual because it involves receiving gifts on Christmas morning.

Part of the Santa Claus ritual has always been to take a photo with jolly old Saint Nick, sit on his lap, and tell him what you want for Christmas.

Some kids did so at privately booked photo shoots, while many others headed to the mall.

I think most kids know that the mall Santa Claus is more of a messenger for the big guys than the actual man himself. Still, parents would bring their children to meet him, who would either cry hysterically or snap photos and note the gift choices before moving on.

More retail:

For about 80 years, for people living in San Francisco, this tradition has meant taking the kids to Macy’s Union Square. It’s a time-honored tradition that has been going on for generations, but this year, it won’t be happening.

Santa Claus, at least for those San Franciscans who like to visit him at Macy’s Union Square, doesn’t appear to be coming to town.

Macy’s has quietly ended its tradition of having Santa Claus travel from the Thanksgiving Day parade to its Union Square store in San Francisco.

The chain’s explanation for the decision suggests it doesn’t have the option of hiring multiple Santas to visit different stores.

“This year, Macy’s Santa will not be at the Union Square store,” Macy’s officials said in a statement reported by the San Francisco Chronicle. “Instead, he will go on a national tour after participating in the (New York) Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, visiting stores and communities where he has not had the opportunity to appear before.”

Macy’s added that the magic of the holiday season will continue in Union Square with its SF SPCA holiday windows and Macy’s Tree presented by Ripple.

“It seems weird that there’s no Santa Claus,” Yvonne Fletcher and her husband Adrian told Yahoo News. “I can’t bring my grandchildren, which is what we’ve been waiting for.”

Santa Claus has always been a big part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.Shutterstock

• About 80 years of tradition: Santa Claus has made an annual appearance at Macy’s Union Square store dating back to the store’s late 1940s According to the San Francisco Chronicle, this will continue almost every year until 2025 (excluding pandemic years).

• Local cultural touchstones: The San Francisco Chronicle adds that every holiday, families line up to visit and take photos with Santa, making it a treasured Bay Area tradition.

• The same Santa Claus for decades: According to Hoodline, the character was played by the beloved “Santa John” from approximately 1990 to 2010, and his appearance became iconic in local family photos.

• No Santa Claus in 2025: Macy’s confirms Santa Claus exists for first time in nearly 80 years Not in Union Square This holiday, he embarked on a national tour after the Thanksgiving Day Parade, ABC7 San Francisco reported.

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Margarita Hernandez, who had visited Union Square Santa Claus as a child, was unaware of the change and took her daughter with her.

“I think we’re going to find another Santa,” she told reporters, adding, “It’s sad. We’ve been bringing her here since she was a baby.”

Macy’s actually fired the famous St. John Toomey.

“The 2010 incident remains one of the most memorable pieces of holiday drama in Union Square. Toomey was fired after an adult couple complained about a light-hearted joke he had told for decades: When adults asked why Santa Claus was so happy, he would quip that it was because he knew where all the naughty boys and girls lived,” Hoodline reported.

He was not rehired by Macy’s, but he did get hired by a local restaurant, showing up for a year before his death.

This is an important tradition for many families.

Leigh Eric Schmidt, author of “Consumer Ritual: The Buying and Selling of the American Holidays,” explained to Catholic Online the evolution of Santa Claus in department stores and malls.

This, he says, reflects a deeper cultural truth.

“The tradition of visiting Santa in the store is more than a business venture—it’s about creating lasting memories and experiencing the joy of the season,” he shared.

• Originated in 1924: The first Macy’s Parade was held in November 27, 1924originally called Macy’s Christmas ParadeIt includes floats, live animals, performers and Santa Claus, according to NBC.

• Santa’s core role: Historically, Santa Claus appeared in Parade endsSince the first event, it has marked the symbolic beginning of Christmas every year, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

• Annual leave starts: Although the name has been changed Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Encyclopedia Britannica adds that (as of 1927) Santa’s appearance remained a key ceremonial moment, leading to holiday shopping and celebrations.

• Nearly continuous history: The parade is already underway Every year since 1924 except during World War II (1942-1944)According to NBC, this holiday has become an ingrained part of American holiday traditions.

Cultural historians point out that Santa Claus was not just there for commercial purposes; This is ritualistic.

“The parade culminates with Santa unveiling the holiday windows on 34th Street,” Valerie Paley, chief historian at the New-York Historical Society, told CBS News, describing how the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has long been a symbolic kickoff to the holiday season.

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This article was originally published by TheStreet on December 20, 2025, and first appeared in the Retail section. Click here to add TheStreet as your preferred source.