Technology "biggest gift" to Santas in their virtual grottos

Participants wearing Santa Claus costumes pose for a family photo during online Global Santa Congress amid the coronavirus pandemic in Tallinn, Estonia December 13, 2020. Picture taken December 13, 2020. REUTERS/Janis Laizans

TALLINN (Reuters) - Santa Clauses from around the world shared the joy of seeing into the lives of the children who this year have had to excitedly whisper their Christmas wish lists to them online.

"Being a virtual Santa is very new to me and yet it's so wonderful to reach out to people, not just people that come to visit me, I can go and visit them," said Santa Ian from Australia told a congress of 8,500 Father Christmases.