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The Annual Santa Pictures…

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I have the scars to prove it, but Christmas Santa pictures each year were anything but fun with our kids up until this year.

It has been four Christmases in a row now that we have had a Christmas with little ones in our house.  In 2009, we celebrated our baby’s first Christmas with our first born, who was only 5 months old.  Most who follow me know that, she was a colicky baby, but by this point she was also teething massively.  She was not a happy camper.  The poor thing was not even a big smiler and when we did get a smile it was like we had struck gold.  Even our Christmas pictures at JC Penny’s were a bust, for more on this click here.

Her first Christmas..

So, when we discussed taking her to see Santa at the mall, the overall consensus was no way in hell were we going through that, because she cried if being held by anyone she didn’t know, let alone trying to get a strange man with a beard to hold her in front of many people.

Emma and Santa Michael Circa 2009

Well, it was Saturday night right before Christmas and there was a knock on our door.  I opened the door to find my brother dressed up as Santa.  My brother, must have took mercy on us, beside the fact that he truly was the greatest uncle who just loved Emma to pieces and had decided to dress up so that we could get some pictures of her with Santa.  God love him, it worked like a charm, because the feeling was mutual pretty much from the get go with Emma to him.  She worshipped the ground he walked on (still does) and we got wonderful pictures of her sitting on Santa’s lap (aka Uncle Michael).  I practically cried seeing them together.

Emma and Santa Michael Circa 2010

In 2010, her younger girl wasn’t even a month old and her big sister was on her way to 18 months old.  We could have tried to take big sister to see Santa, but didn’t want to drag a newborn to the mall for one picture with Santa.  So, Uncle Michael to the rescue again.  More wonderful pictures of both girls and Santa (aka Uncle Michael).

Last year, we were actually going to go see Santa at the mall, but our older daughter was truly going through a shy phase that she would cover her face up if she met someone new, so in the end we opted yet again not to try the mall.  And you guessed it Uncle Michael was at it again.  I was glad we didn’t go to the mall though, because it took forever to get one picture with my brother, because they both went into shy mode around him dressed up even in the comfort of their own own home.

Christmas and Uncle Santa Michael

This year, our oldest started pre-school and has been talking non-stop about Santa for weeks now.  And even kept telling me she need to go see him to tell him what she wanted.  She was adamant.  So, I asked around and was told they had a free Santa picture at Hicks Nursery near us as long as you brought your own camera, but then heard negatives from a few others on this.  Finally, we heard some positive feedback about the Mall Santa near us.

It was Saturday morning, both girls had their dance class.  I waited at the dance studio with our older girl while our baby had her class and then vide versa, while my husband went food shopping.  Once dance was over, he picked us up and we stopped home to drop groceries off, get the girls changed and let them use the bathroom, too.

Then, it was off to the mall.  the girls were so very excited.  When we got to the mall, we went immediately to where Santa was set up and there was only one family in front of us.  I spoke to both girls and Emma told me that she was going to tell Santa what she wanted.

A few moments later, it was our turn and both girls walked over to Santa holding my hands.  Santa knelt down and talked so softly to them.  They were in awe and big sister was the spokesperson for the two apparently answering all of Santa’s questions for both of them.  Little sister was totally shell shocked at first staring in enamored, but not our oldest she was in big sister mode and had this one.

Santa asked big sister finally what she wanted for Christmas and she immediately said not missing a beat, “I want the Easy Bake Oven and Barbie Dollhouse.”  And then, it was time to take a picture, the two got up on Santa’s Lap (little sister started to warm up now), said “cheese” with big smiles.

Santa 2012

In the end, I was impressed and the girls even got a surprise from Santa with their own little cow stuffed animals.  By the way when asked later, about Santa Emma retold the whole tale beaming and then turned to me and asked, “But Santa is still going to come to my house, right?”  Guess it will be Uncle Michael to the rescue again!!

 

About Janine

Janine is a published author of the books, The Mother of All Meltdowns and Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee. She has been featured on The Huffington Post, Mamapedia, Today Parenting Team and SheKnows. She also runs her own graphic design company at J9 Designs.

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Comments

  3. JanineHuldie says

    Thanks Melanie and I was so happy to share those stories, because I just wanted to put out there what a wonderful guy my brother is and how much we love him, too 🙂

  6. JanineHuldie says

    Oh Steph, I only have two and know the feeling. For both this pic and the holiday ones at Target, I made Kevin come with me, because I truly didn't want to have to try to do this alone.

    • JanineHuldie says

      Thanks Emily and my brother really is so good to my kids and even to me. Whenever I need anything he is always there. So, I am just so very thankful for him 🙂 🙂

  9. Angie Brewer says

    That was very sweet of your brother to do that!
    My grandboy won't take pictures with santa unless his momma is sitting on santas lap with him, and he just turned 5, lol.

    • JanineHuldie says

      Thanks Stephanie. I have so many pictures, apparently I probably should have been blogging sooner, because I am always taking pictures, especially of my kids 🙂 🙂

  12. Stacy Harris says

    I have to say….. we still haven't brought the kids to see Santa this year. Maybe we need to put that on the agenda soon. I will sadly say though, we really don't have pictures of the kids with Santa. It makes me so mad that they charge these ridiculous prices. All I want is a candid picture. I don't want a 5X7 or wallets or a package deal. I want my kids to experience Christmas. Ugh – guess I better get to searching for Santa again! 🙂 great pictures and you are lucky to have such a wonderful Uncle Santa!

    • JanineHuldie says

      Thanks Stacy and I am with you on the cost, but caved when Emma kept asking to go see Santa and found it is $20 for the two 5 x 7's. I wouldn't pay the extra $10 for a CD with the picture, but just ended up scanning it in and cropping it on my MacBook. As for my brother, he truly is one in a million!!

    • JanineHuldie says

      My pleasure Leslie and so happy to see you here, too. Glad you enjoyed reading about my kids and that they reminded you of yourself when you were younger 🙂

    • JanineHuldie says

      Oh thanks Cyndi and I love that picture of all three of us too. I also love the one with Emma from her first Christmas, because my brother was able to get that huge smile out of her, when we had a lot of trouble photographing smiles at that age with Emma.

  16. Dani Ryan says

    Oh my – look at how cute they are!!!! I didn't bother last year with my daughter. She was only 8 months old and I figured it would be a bust. But I did go this year and was surprised she sat on his lap. He lured her with a glow stick, which I still use when she gets upset. 🙂

    • JanineHuldie says

      Oh Dani that sounded adorable and it is the little things with kids that get a smile out of them. Last year, when we took our family pictures, Lily wouldn't smile. I did Peek-A-Boo and got smiles and then some. Got to love when it all comes together though 🙂 🙂

  20. Terrye says

    What an adorable Santa story, Janine! 🙂 And thank goodness for Uncle Michael! 🙂 The girls will cherish those memories for years! "I remember the first time I met Santa!" 🙂

    • JanineHuldie says

      Oh thanks Terrye and I truly love looking through all the pictures I have taken of my kids from the beginning and so do my girls. They were sitting with me while I was putting together these photos that shared here and so excited!! I, too, still remember the first time I met Santa by the way (Kevin says I always was a good elf, lol!!).

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