MEAN GREEN SANTA
NOVEMBER 20 to December 21
2023
Mean Green Santa at Billings Bridge Shopping Centre*
Monday to Thursday: 4pm to 8pm
Pet Nights: Thursdays 4pm to 8pm
Final Day: Thursday, December 21
Photographs**: Minimum of 10 candid and posed digital photograph files emailed to you after visit for $40 (paid after visit)
*No reservations please be in line before 7pm to avoid potential cut off
**You can take pictures, of your own family members, from outside the Mean Green Santa set area
FAQ
Visiting Mean Green Santa at Billings Bridge
Is he scary?
To some, yes. However, he isn't a monster. His mostly grumpy (grinch-like) attitude is rather endearing and entertaining. If you don't want your child to cry this may not be for you - on the other hand you may want your child to test their limits and have some fun pictures at the same time.
Can we dress up?
Mean Green Santa loves when his events turn into mini Comicons - yes, please dress up in your Who-finery with fancy Who-dos. Or come as you are because in his words "I really don't care".
Is he the same grinch-like person who's been at Billings Bridge for over seven years?
Yes, he is the same Mean Green Santa every year, including this one.
Is he bilingual?
Yes, he is fluent in French and English.
Can we bring our pet(s)?
Yes, Thursday nights are Pet Nights. The main stipulation is that they are friendly cats or dogs and that you control and clean up after them. "But we have a _________ as our pet?": please send us a note about other types of pets you may have to see if we can get "special permission".
Why Monday to Thursday nights from 4 to 8?
We learned from experience. In 2022 Mean Green Santa was available Saturday and Sunday afternoons. It caused confusion with people wanting to see him in the morning (when Santa was in) and people who wanted to see Santa (when Mean Green Santa was in). Mean Green Santa is incredibly popular so, to shorten the line up (see next FAQ) we moved his availability to Monday to Thursdays after school.
Why can we no longer reserve appointments?
We continue to learn from experience and sometimes you can't please everyone all of the time. In 2019 we had very long line ups and people complained that they didn't like waiting in line for over 3 hours. In 2020 we introduced appointments (our response to the pandemic) and we created long appointment times to give ourselves a chance to clean between visits and we did the same thing in 2021. In 2022 we made the reservation schedule tighter and because of sell outs the system came close to collapsing when people (who had seen on the website that they could just line up to see him "if space is available") demanded to see him. Due to cancellations we were often able to fit people in but as we got closer to Christmas we faced confused and angry people.
Note: If the line up reaches a certain point we will be "cutting" the line up to an hour in advance of closing time.
Are we obligated to purchase pictures?
While you can only take your own pictures from outside of the Mean Green Santa Set Area we will take pictures of each visit and then show them to you, this is when you have the opportunity to purchase and receive your pictures via email with a link to your gallery.
How do we receive our pictures?
Once you have paid and given us your email address your digital photographs will be uploaded to a private online gallery. A link will then be sent to you and you can download them to use as you wish - a gallery link will be emailed to you within 24 hours of your visit.
Why can't we be in the "Mean Green Santa Set Area" to take our own pictures?
A few reasons. 1. Your electronic device (phone, tablet or camera) emits a signal that interferes with our electronic devices (cameras and computers) this can crash our system and cause delays. 2. When people take their own pictures they are not as fast as our staff and this will cause delays in the the line up of people (including you) getting to see Mean Green Santa. 3. Billings Bridge Santa is operated independently (by IDEA3 Photography) from the mall operations and staff are paid directly from the proceeds of digital photograph sales. and 4. We have had to stop people from taking pictures of children who are not their own - while we hope it is out of curiousity more than anything else we won't allow it, even from outside the set area.
Where do we go?
Find us at the main (middle-front) entrance on the parking lot level in the Billings Bridge Shopping Centre Centre Court (entrance #5) 2277 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1H 7X6