Do's and Don'ts for adults when visiting with santa...

Do bring your child. Or don't...I mean, that's up to you. Adults are welcome to come sit on Santa's lap and tell me what you want for Christmas, too!

Do not force your child onto Santa's lap for any reason whatsoever!  I mean it. I get that you want a photo of your kid(s) on Santa's lap, but some children are freaked out at the thought of sitting on some stranger's lap. Just because I'm Santa doesn't mean that I'm not a stranger. And kudos to you for teaching your child stranger danger, even if by accident! Some kids are super excited to see Santa and have a wonderfully magical experience and it's understandable that you want that for your child, too. But sometimes, the kid is just too freaked out. It could be because there's too many people with too many bright lights telling him/her too many things causing a major case of sensory overload; or it could be because they're not feeling well due to under/overeating that day; or perhaps they're just tired and cranky; or maybe they have gas and their bloated; or perhaps Venus is out of alignment; or possibly it's because who knows why?!? The point is that there are/can be any number of reasons why your kid is freaking out at the thought of sitting on Santa's lap, but none of them really matter. The fact remains that your kid is freaking out and you have two choices: traumatize the child or be their hero. That's it.  And don't expect Santa to force your child to stay on his lap.  I will not under any circumstances allow a scared child to be forced into a situation with Santa that they are clearly not comfortable with.  So don't be that parent that leaves Santa wondering if he should give you a visit from Child Services for Christmas! 

Do be attentive and respectful of your child's fear.  I get that you want a picture of your child with Santa and that you've waited for what seems like forever for it.  Often times the kids are excited at the thought of seeing Santa and sitting on his lap, but sometimes that excitement turns to fear or all out terror when they get up to the man in The Big Red Suit and they freak out.  Just recognize that this happens sometimes and that the expectations of the visit don't always become the reality of the experience.  Your child may be counting on you to comfort them and make them feel safe.  So rather than ignoring their fear, be their hero and do your best to comfort them and make them feel safe.

Don't threaten your child with the naughty list or no presents if they don't smile! There's no such thing as a nice or cute photo of child that's scared or upset and possibly being traumatized by the experience. And anyone who thinks there is such a thing needs to have their head examined. True, many times a really skilled photographer who is really good at working with kids can get the child to calm down and even smile through silliness and/or props; but sometimes it's a lost cause. Hopefully you know your child well enough to spot when it's a lost cause before it gets too upsetting for the kid. But if you don't or you misread your child's response - which can easily happen - just recognize that you may be told to get in the picture with us, or hold your own child while Santa sits next to y'all.  And please DO NOT under any circumstances say stupid crap like "smile or you're not going to get any presents!" Or "you better sit still and smile or Santa's going to put you on the naughty list!" It's not cute. You may think that it's funny, or somehow conducive to incentivizing your child to smile, but it's not. It's making things worse for the kid, making my job harder, and likely traumatizing your child. 

Do be patient. Look, I know that the lines to see Santa can get pretty long at Holiday festivals and shopping malls no matter when you come to see me. And those long lines can lead to some very short fuses. Especially when someone's little Johnny or little Jane seems like they're paying rent on Santa's lap! But think of it this way: each child has different levels of comfort with Santa. And each child has different needs when it comes to expressing themselves in front of the man in the Big Red Suit. Would you want Santa brushing off your child or shortchanging you and, more importantly, your child's visit with Santa just so that the next child can have the same cut rate experience? Wouldn't it be better to learn some more patience and be the positive example for your child, rather than showing them that impatience and tantrums are acceptable behavior to "get what you want?" Don't you want your child to have as magical an experience as possible while you (or the photographer) capture the magical moment? Shouldn't all the children get that same individualized attention? Remember the scene in "A Christmas Story" when Ralphie goes up to see Santa in the shopping mall and Santa and his elves are all jerks to the kids treating them like they're on a conveyor belt of crappy Santa experiences only to end with them being shoved down a slide? Is that​ the experience you want for your child? I didn't think so!

​Don't be drunk! I mean, I really thought that this would go without say, but one should be on their best behavior when visiting with Santa. If drunk is your best behavior, then I suggest you only visit Santa if you're asking for rehab for Christmas, otherwise, you're likely already well established on the naughty list. But, you can always get off the naughty list...