Well, clearly we were the only ones who thought that it was NOT ok to drag our child screaming with terror onto Santas lap. We just could not get over how seriously everyone was taking it! Mothers were getting agitated and stressed and red faced trying to get reluctant children to not only sit on some hairy mans lap but smile as well. Then when they did get the poor kid to sit on Santas lap the photo had to be perfect, dresses had to be straightened and hair combed. Arms and hands in the right place. It was ridicuous. Chef and I were just laughing at these borderline hysterical women stressing over a Santa photo. LIGHTEN UP!!!
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| pic from here |
Santa was lovely.
I said to him when I sat down "Jeez, bet you feel like a drink".
He sniggered.
I said "Jeez people take it seriously don't they?"
He laughed and gave me a squeeze of the hand and said "Yes, if they are screaming this year next year they will be smiling"
I agreed "Exactly! It is funny when you look back at a photos and kid has a weird look on their face, that is how it is now for them, but when they are really upset I just don't see the point"
The photographer came over and started adjusting Busy and I said "Its just not that important, it doesn't need to be perfect" I saw relief flood over her- the poor thing.
So Busy asked Santa " if you have time to make a trampoline can I have one at my house?"
Santa said "I will see what I can do, the elves are very busy"
Busy said " that's ok Santa I don't mind" (!!??)
Santa made me get a bit excited about Christmas - he made Busy excited and that made me excited. Just a bit. I will try really hard to enjoy it this year. Really I will. I will try hard not to grumble. I will grit my teeth and pretend it is all great.
Maybe. Don't hold me to it.
The whole Santa photo thing is incredible, isn't it? I was REALLY scared of Santa when I was little - even when he was handing out a present especially for me (my sister would have to get it...), so I'm not sure if I have ANY photos of me with Santa as a child - somehow I think I turned out OK regardless!
ReplyDeleteLast time we went and saw Santa he said to Caleb what he would like for Xmas and Caleb stonefaced said "you tell me you are making it" - so funny in hind sight - Poor santa was a little lost for words.
ReplyDeleteAww that's the sweetest (and funniest) story. I lined up with my sister, sister-in-law and the kids last year. I agree - the mothers were waaaaaay too serious. Our photos were terrible but amusing!
ReplyDeleteMy sister took Moo Moo today and there was a shopping centre Santa and a Myer Santa, so Moo asked why one was wearing glasses, and one was wearing gloves? So, even the three year olds are questioning why there's two different blokes dressed up in Santa suits.
By the way, I wonder how much that job pays?
When Ella was about 1, we decided o give a photo of her on Santa's lap to a couple of our elderly non-jewish rellies.
ReplyDeleteWe ended up giving a photo of Santa smiling while Ella screamed.
Funniest gift I've ever given. (And Ella wasn't permanently scarred).
Andi x
I'm not so good at Santa (number one always looked completely freaked out when he 'saw' him, sitting on those podiums)
ReplyDeleteSo we never pushed him in that direction - what is the point? On a serious note, i always struggle with the whole belief in santa thing, only to know that your kids will one day come to realise he isn't really 'real'.
I remember the feeling of devastation when i was a kid and 'found out'.
So, is Jesus a fake too, or is he real?
What to believe?
What values?
Christmas brings it all up.
Our family never did Santa photos and I have never had one with my children, i just don't get it, and the photos are always crap, even if it was set up. Kind of an odd urban ritual for so many families that I never understood.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear you and Busy had a good time on Santa's "lap"! Relax and enjoy Christmas - the world won't end if things don't get done just perfectly. And if all else fails, go volunteer at a homeless shelter - and remember the true reason for the season!
ReplyDeleteIs it just me, or are the pictures of the kids FREAKING out while Santa is smiling the best? I mean, I LOVE them. I have a weird thing for screaming kid photos though. I find it funny, and Santa was right, it shows where they are today... so let them be! (And don't get me started on how weird it is that we teach kids to stay away from strangers but we willingly thrust our kids into the arms of some creep who wants them to sit on his lap?!)
ReplyDeleteWe have only ever had one Santa photo with the eldest and youngest. The middle child wouldn't go near him or even look at him. She sat with me with her back to Santa and her siblings...
ReplyDeleteThat's actually really very sad. As a none-Christmas believer I have taken so much flack my entire life, first for not believing the lie and then for not perpetruating it yet for so many individuals involved in it, it is really a very scary time. Not good at all. Cherrie
ReplyDeleteThat's so funny! I have had to be in our last few Santa photos too - with bad hair and all (far from perfect)!
ReplyDeleteI'm the kind of person who would have done exactly what you did. I just don't see the point in making my child sit on an old mans lap if she doesn't want to. Santa photos just aren't that important in our family, I'd much rather fight a battle and get a nice family photo with the kids.
ReplyDeleteSanta pffft xxxx
I hope Santa is able to make busy a trampoline.
We took the picture for the first time last year. We couldn't believe how crazy it made all the parents and how cranky it made all the kids. Pony girl just rolled with it all and so did we, it was actually a piece of cake. I'm not saying we're doing it again this year, nope not saying that at all.
ReplyDeleteI was very excited the other day when my biggest informed that he knows Santa's made up. I was even more excited when littlest said he doesn't like Santa cos he's hairy and wears his pajamas in the day. It makes me chuckle (ho, ho, ho) to see how seriously Santa photos are taken....the other morning we popped into the shops and people were parading in their pets for photos with the hairy dude....??
ReplyDeleteWe stood in queue last year and when it was finally our turn the boy freaked out and we turned away. No worries. Like you say it just isn't that important. It is suppose to be fun. I don't think he'd have freaked if it hadn't been for all the stressy energy of other parents around us and for the chatty grandmother questioning him about whether he'd been naughty or nice! hello!!! the kid wasn't even three years old - lay off. We don't do naughty and nice at our place... we're people and sometime we do good behaviours and sometimes we do bad behaviours - all of us - we try to understand, not judge and punish. Consequences sure - but not punitive action. That is one of the many aspects of the Santa story that I really struggle with. ...but to appease the older generation we will stand in queue again this year... and perhaps we will turn around and walk away once again. Who knows?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Busy was understanding about the elves possibly having a heavy workload. She sounds like such a darling. Happy festive season to you and your beautiful crew.
i am totes with you on the whole christmas deal! it seems insane to me, although i do love the cooking/eating/family hang-out bit. we have managed to avoid sant photo's so far. but your nice santa interaction almost makes me want to do it!
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