Intermountain nurses, volunteers fill in for Santa in NICU pictures

SALT LAKE CITY — Volunteers, pediatric specialty nurses, child life specialists and fellow caregivers donned red coats and white beards so newborns in the ICU could take “My First Christmas with Santa” photos this year.

Photographing the tiny patients in Santa Claus’ arms has become an annual tradition at many hospitals. But nurses had to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s hard to have a baby in the NICU at any time, but around the holidays, the stress and sadness can hit new levels,” said Alice Casper, Intermountain Medical Center newborn ICU nurse manager. “For years in our NICU, we’ve had Santa come in and meet and take pictures with our tiny patients. Then when COVID hit, and even Santa wasn’t allowed to visit, we had to find something different to do.”

That’s where volunteers, caregivers and nurses stepped in.

Each person secured a white beard and potbelly, gloves and a furry red coat before cradling the tiny infants in their arms for a close-up picture to give to each baby’s parents to cheer them during the holidays.

The photos are cropped at Santa’s beard, hiding their masked faces.

Nurses said the photos are an important part of the holiday season, and many families use them on Christmas cards and other holiday greetings.

“It’s Santa magic that we get to bring a slice of joy to these families who are stuck here, for lack of better words, during the holidays,” said Santa’s helper Jo Duff, assistant nurse manager in the Primary Children’s newborn ICU. “I know that these parents are entrusting us with their beautiful babies every single day, and it breaks my heart that they have to be here. So, if we can make it just a little bit brighter and joyful for them, it’s the greatest honor and privilege in my life.”