Cyber Santa Claus Connects With Patients at Pennsylvania Children's Hospital

— -- Santa Claus is busy this time of year, but dozens of patients at the Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital got a chance this week to share their Christmas wishes with Santa through Web-enabled cameras and a live video monitor.

The hospital’s Child Life Program connected with the North Pole Tuesday through the Web so that children who would otherwise be unable to visit Santa in person still get a chance to interact with Santa. And for the many patients who weren’t able to leave their bed, hospital workers carried around iPads so they, too, could speak with Santa, according to ABC affiliate WHTM in Harrisburg.

“Some of the boys and girls have to be at the hospital to be checked out and so forth, so this is a really great way for Santa to be in touch,” Santa told WHTM. “This is a great place to get them to feel better, so it’s really important that we can make a memory and make this a special Christmas.”

Aiden, one of nearly 60 patients who met with cyber Santa, wished for a train. In the meantime he got an early gift – a superhero blanket, as well as a cyber high-five from Santa.