I was just looking at an online article of a compilation of photos of kids whose parents make them sit on Santa's lap for Christmas pictures and the kids are crying (and Santa doesn't look too thrilled either). I know they're supposed to be funny-- and with a few of the toddlers it is kinda funny-- but not with the infants. Those little kids look genuinely scared, and some look scared and heartbroken at being left by their parents with a scary-looking stranger, and I actually started to cry at seeing picture after picture of little kids crying and reaching out for their parents. I think I'm a little emotional tonight. Stupid hormones.
These pictures remind me of the family pictures we had in Utah back in July. Baby Girl and her cousin (who's just a little older than her) were sitting on the grandparents' laps and both of them were crying, and the photographer commented, "You'd be surprised at how many of those pictures end up as Christmas card pictures." Why would I want other people to see my daughter in such distress? It breaks my heart to see her like that and I don't find it cute at all.
We are not going to make our kids sit on Santa's lap for pictures. Ever. Baby Girl is one of those kids who would cry and reach out for us and I won't put her through that. Plus, we're going to explain to our kids that Santa isn't real, so what's the point in getting a picture with him anyway?
1 comment:
Yeah, I felt the same as you and did not introduce Nicole to Santa until this year. She is old enough this year that she can decide whether she wants to sit on Santa's lap or not. We went and saw two Santa's. One she liked and sat on his lap, the other she did not and I just let it go and we went without.
But, Santa IS real. How else could he give gifts to so many kids on Christmas? Sure, maybe the parents purchase and wrap them, but Santa is the idea behind them.
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