So my 11 month old daughter is afraid of strangers, has been from day 1. My 3.5 year old son on the other hand is the complete opposite. I kinda knew that I would have a problem with Santa with the baby. We were at our town Xmas party and we waited to see Santa (not the 'official' ones at the mall) and my son was happy to see him and I at least wanted to get a picture of my daughter and Santa and as soon as I passed her to him, the crying and screaming came. I got a super quick pic and scooped her up. This is her first Xmas (her b-day is Dec. 27th). Very soon we will be going to the mall for the 'real' Santa pics and as much as I want a picture of her with Santa to remember her first Xmas by, my mom thinks I should skip a picture with her and I'm kind of agreeing but I feel a bit sad knowing that she won't have her first Santa picture... and I'm sure she may be this way for quite a while (my son was never scared... hopped right up on his lap). Should I just skip and have my son just sit with Santa? Need some ideas of an alternative photo that I could do (and probably do each year) that can be my kids 'official' Xmas picture. I want them to be able to look back on them one day.
I think it's mean to force a scared, crying kid to take a picture with a strange man, personally. I never understood why people thought it was funny or cute to capture a moment like that. Why would you want a memory of that? As a parent, I don't need that picture that badly. Not having a picture of your crying baby with Santa doesn't make you a bad parent ;-)
I would skip it. Don't make her uncomfortable. Maybe find some other Christmas themed background. My kids loved the singing Rudolf or Santa's so we took a few infant pictures with them.
This is exactly how it is with my two kids. My daughter is 4 and from day one has loved anything in a costume, but my son (2) will not have it at all!!!! He is afraid of everything like that. It does bum me out too, I feel you, I'm into memories and pictures and keepsakes and it breaks my heart that he won't sit with Santa, but I don't want to see him cry either.
I would skip it. OR...I would maybe keep her on your lap and stand or squat next to Santa and get all of you in the picture. Then at least you'd have something with Santa and her together! She might not even go for that, I'm not sure my son will but I'm thinking of trying it this year.
Photoshop them together? That would be a funny story one day!
Seriously, this is typical! My niece ran away from Santa, yelling "out the door!" and then out on the sidewalk yelling "home!" as her mom ran after her. I think she was 1 1/2. There was no time for a picture!
Hope by next year she'll be okay about it. Put up lots of pics of Santa and read The Night Before Christmas from October on and maybe she'll warm to the idea next Christmas!!
Dawn
Have someone take the picture with you holding her next to Santa. That's what I did a couple of years when my son was afraid.
A Santa photo is YOUR idea of a fun tradition, not your daughter's (obviously!).
So you will feel regret if she doesn't ave this first photo. Your daughter will feel real fear, at least temporarily, if you hand her to this strange, loud man and step away. I personally think your daughter's fear outweighs your regret. She'll never miss what didn't happen, unless you make a big deal out of it in coming years.
I have the most adorable picture of my oldest 2 grandchildren, both girls. The older one was almost 2 and the baby 5 months. The baby is sitting on Santa's lap content as can be; the older one is screaming and reaching for her auntie. Believe me in 10 years you will love that picture. Go ahead, the Mall Santa's are used to it...no matter what your kid will do it's happened before and these Santas handle it.
my kids are 10 and 13 and don't miss the fact that there is NOT ONE pict of them and Santa. No way was I going to stand in line to force them to make the picture. never did it. yours will be fine.
We have a beautiful picture of my dd at 10 months standing on a chair, dressed in her christmas outfit, reaching for the tree, in the glow of the lights.
Normal. Unless it's going to traumatize her, just take the picture with her crying on Santa's lap. It's two minutes of her life. It will be funny later on.
