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Helpful information from Santa, to make your trip and visit to Santa a lot easier, more fun and possibly more rewarding.

The annual trip to visit Santa is often a very special occasion for many families.  For some it is a ritual with traditions.  For other families, it is just a fun day to go shopping and visit with an old friend who just happens to have a white beard and wear a red suit.  In any case I hope your visit to me is fun, enjoyable and memorable.  —  Santa

 It’s that time of year Again!  Millions of Americans and their children will be making their way to their favorite mall to obtain that treasured, annual photo with Santa.  For many this activity is a wonderful and fun-filled experience.  For others, it can be a terrifying and stressful disaster. 

To help you make your visit one of those wonderful events, here are four key things to consider, plus a few helpful suggestions to make your experience a great success, and your trip to visit Santa a wonderful experience.

1. Prepare your child/children for their visit with Santa.  A visit with Santa Claus can be quite scary for a small child.  Not only is the concept of there actually being a Santa Claus hard for toddlers and babies to grasp, but they are also very attached to Mommy and Daddy.  Not to mention, Santa Claus can be a bit scary looking at first. In preparing to visit Santa Claus, read some books to your child about Santa. Let them see pictures of Santa, or watch a cartoon about Santa and his Reindeer.
2. When getting your children ready, try to make it a fun activity.  If they are having fun, the photos will be more natural and much better.  Getting a photo with Santa is sometimes like getting a photo with your favorite cartoon character at a theme park.  It should be fun.
3. Don’t force your child to wear something they don’t like.  This will just put them in a bad mood and it will show in the photo.  Yes, we know that your photos may be for grandma, or possibly for use on your Christmas card, so you really do want your children dressed nicely.  But, try to make it fun when selecting what to wear.
4. Before you leave the house, Santa recommends that you take along a few extra items.  No matter how hard you try, children are always going to get a little mussed-up or dirty when going anywhere.  So you might want to bring along one or more of the following items: a comb and brush; hairspray; wet-naps or moist towelettes; bobby pins or barrettes for long hair.  We know that most parents are usually very good at keeping their children clean.  But, in a hectic event like this, kids can surprise all of us.
5. Give yourself plenty of time.  Trying to rush creates tension and leads to stress.  Set aside an entire morning or afternoon to make your trip to Santa, and maybe do some family shopping or sight seeing.  When you have plenty of time, long lines and crowds are much easier to cope with.
6. Before you get in line, let your children observe how other children are standing in line. Point out the area where Santa is sitting.  This way, they are not surprised when they actually get in line and eventually get to the front. This will also let you watch your your child and read their body language. – to see if they are ready, emotionally.
   When it is time for pictures with Santa Claus, if your child is too scared, you might want to consider a group photo with you holding your child or having your child stand next to Santa.
7. The Introduction. The helper or assistant will sometimes greet the children and then escort and introduce them up to Santa.  Other times, especially with children 4 and older, the parent may escort their own children to Santa.  If you get this opportunity, be informal and when you get to Santa, introduce each of your children to Santa by saying, “Santa, here are Jamie and Susan.”  This is a wonderful way of breaking the ice and getting off to a good start.
8. Say hello to Santa First, Maybe shake hand.  There is nothing wrong with a parent starting the visit with a hello to Santa, maybe even a little hand shake.  Sometimes a child seeing their parent and Santa as friends, helps the child to relax.
9. Do not anticipate that your baby or child should be afraid or scared of Santa Claus . . . or they will be.  Children are very good at sensing their parent’s feelings. If you are afraid or nervous, your baby will pick up on that, and react by crying or refusing to see Santa Claus.   
10. Parents should always take their children up to Santa.  If you have a baby or toddler you should carefull plave the child in Santa’s arms.   newborn to six month old baby,  they should take the baby up to Santa. Seat any other children in your family first and then give the baby to Santa last.  Then let the photographer take the photos.  After the photo is taken, you can remove the baby and Santa can talk with the other children.
11. The best photos are taken in the first five to ten seconds.  Help Santa seat your children and then quickly back out of the photo area.   After the photo, Santa can talk to the children.One other suggestion for infants and babies, always place the baby or infant in Santa Claus’ lap. Never let Santa take the baby from you. It is always better if Mommy or Daddy places the child into Santa’s arms.

Finally I want to tell you about one more thing a Parent can do that will not only prepare their children for a visit with Santa, but accomplish a very worthwhile deed:

1. Teach your children some customs or meanings of Santa Claus and Christmas.  Talk to your children about Santa and what he represents.  While driving to see Santa, or while waiting in line, talk to you children about what Santa means.  Simply stated, Santa represents, love, and joy and giving.  The Christian traditions and meanings can also be introduced here, with the history of St. Nicholas. Whether you are Christian or not, you can tell your children that Christmas is not just a time for getting, but really a time for giving.
2. Teach them about secret giving.  Ask them if they know someone they could give something to.  Much of the tradition of Santa Claus and Saint Nicholas was the wonderment of “secret giving.”  There is something wonderful about giving someone a gift and them not knowing who the giver is.  Would they like to give something secretly?
3. Your trip to Santa could include shopping for some cards or gifts that your children can give to others.  Introduce them to the joys of giving and secret giving.  Who knows, the gift of joy they receive may be larger than the gift they give.   And maybe, someday, they will thank you.
4. If your child is afraid of Santa, never force them to sit on Santa’s lap.  This can be a very traumatic experience.  Taking a photo with a scared child takes teamwork between, the family, Santa’s helpers, Santa and the Photographer.  If the child is a toddler, hold them facing you, with the child’s back to Santa.  Talk and chat with your toddler, distracting him or her from Santa as you walk up to Santa.  Then quickly set the child in Santa’s lap and quickly back out of the photo area while keeping your toddler’s attention with whistles, shouts, or whatever action to distract them from the fact that they are sitting in Santa’s lap.  The photographer can then quickly take the photo.  If the child is older, but still afraid, sometimes Santa can let them sit in his chair (sometimes with mommy or daddy) and the photographer can then take the photo.  Sometimes Santa will try to sneak into the photo, behind the family.  And, iof you have more than one child in the photo, seat the older children first.  Younger or nervous children may see that Santa is not a threat to the older kids and my decide to finally sit with Santa.
5. If your child is has a wet bottom, or somehow their face and hands are covered with candy or food, let Santa and his helpers know.  Young children and babies often have no control, or are nervous, and will surprise all of us.  And, if Santa’s suit gets wet or soiled, or a sticky hand gets stuck in Santa’s beard, everything has to stop while he changes or cleans up.  If your child face needs a change or a little touch up, ask Santa’s helper if you can pass on your photo until you’ve cleaned up.   The helpers and photographer should give you the courtesy to come back to the front of the line when you are ready.
6. If you have your own camera, mention to the helper or assistant that you want to take one or two of your own photos.  Most malls will allow one or two additional photos after the mall photographer takes their photo and while your child or children are talking to Santa.  Usually this photo can be taken from the side.  Never walk in front of the Professional photographer unannounced.  And you may want to turn your flash off and use the available lighting.  Most professional Santa Sets have special Flash units that go off no matter who’s flash is being used.  If these large flash units go off when you are taking a photo, the result may be a white or overexposed photo.
7. Remember, there are other families waiting in line.  Allow the photographer to take his or her photos first.  Then, while your child or children talk with Santa, you can take one or two additional photos.  (If the line is short, and Santa has time, you might be able to take a few more photos if needed. But, always remember that others may be waiting in line.)
8. Everyone should try to have fun.  There is no use worrying about anything.  Sometimes getting a photo with Santa involves a hot day, long lines and lots of crying babies and noisy children.  And, if you are prepared for this, then anything less is a breeze!