It’s that time of year!! The malls are dressed from head to toe in their holiday finest and so are many of our children as we dare to venture out in suspenders and tights and delightful dresses with itchy seams or embarrassingly coordinated family pajamas like the ones above to procure a photo with Old Saint Nick. All the prepping and primping and whining and scratching will inevitably be worth it however when it’s all said and done and you have definitive proof that you survived said trip to shove into holiday cards for your friends and family in which you will inscribe “We made it out alive!!” or, ya know, “Happy holidays from our family to yours!”
Now, our family has had its fair share of chaotic Santa photo moments. Ella teetering on the edge of an “I’m too old for this sh*t” meltdown. Hendrix hugging a borderline inappropriate amount of random children in line. Sadie screaming bloody murder for the entirety of our time in the queue only to stop just in time to take the world’s most perfectly smiley modelesque photo with Santa. Not to mention the bathroom trips that ranged from total emergencies to childhood curiosity-fueled tourism. Our family has been through it – more than once. Going through it has taught us a thing or two however and I’m happy to share that holiday magic with you in hopes that your Santa photo trips are significantly less crazy than many of ours were. Here are four of our secrets to surviving this year’s Santa photo trip…
Make Sure Their Needs Are Already Met!
A solid meal? Check. Nap time? Check. An opportunity to run around in non-holiday-themed clothing to burn out some energy in an attempt to stave off squirminess? Double check. Expecting a child to be well-behaved when they’re tired, hungry or more ready to play than be patient is like expecting every human you meet to be kind and courteous during a Walmart Black Friday sale. It’s probably not going to happen. Schedule your Santa trip for an appropriate time, make sure their tummies are satisfied and that they’ve gotten at least some of their wiggles out to avoid any added chaos on the day.
Talk About the Trip in Advance!
This doesn’t always do the trick but it helps and it’s worth a try. Talk about the exciting things – seeing Santa, taking a photo, the Christmas tree and the chance to plead for presents – but also address your expectations. How should they behave? What can they do and not do during the wait? i.e. Play with the toy they brought along rather than scaling the side of the giant ornament. In the days prior and on the way over, paint a mental picture of what they’ll see and experience and it just might make the whole thing go a little more smoothly.
Reserve Your Spot!
Last year, we grumbled about the parents who skipped the lengthy line we were stuck in with their fancy reservations like celebrities entering a club. This year, we were most definitely those parents. Prior to our trip, we researched the “Santa Fast Pass” at our local Westfield shopping center and were pleasantly surprised to learn that it’s actually free. You’re basically paying for your photos in advance and because we booked for an off-peak day we got $5 off!! The fast pass doesn’t seem to be a universal thing just yet so check with your local shopping center as well as the surrounding ones to see if they book reservations. It’s totally worth looking like “those parents” to save your sanity!
Embrace the Chaos!
When you look back at your Santa photos years and years from now and see an image filled with smiling faces – or in some cases full-on crying faces – chances are the anxiety you felt standing in line with a screaming/bored/completely-over-it child will be a distant memory. We’ve all been there and those unicorn parents who’ve never been there should be counting their blessings instead of judging you. Follow the tips above, focus on making magical holiday memories – even the crazy ones – and hope for the best. It’ll all be over soon!
Have you taken your family’s Santa photos yet? What’s your best/worst Santa photo memory?
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