THE DREADED YEARLY SANTA PHOTO

Christmas is biting at our heels. It’s nearly here. Well, for a parent that hasn’t even thought about what the hell she is going to buy her son for Christmas, it seems like it’s just hours away.

8,075,192 seconds until the big day.

2,244 hours until the tearing and ripping of paper…..that I will have to clean up before the house looks like a festive crime scene.

13 weeks before I have to get my shit together and actually think in ‘Christmas’ mode.

95 days until my son realises that the big evil fat guy comes to visit him and leaves him presents he asks for. I really can’t see the evilness, but Reeve does.

See, my son has never really been a fan of Santa. In the two Christmases since Reeve has been on this earth, I have taken him to visit Santa for the loving and happy family photo.

The first time wasn’t the happiest of memories. We waited as loving mother and child in line. I was getting excited to see my baby boys emotion as he saw Santa for the first time in his life. This was going to be glorious. A memory instilled into both our minds….forever.

And yes. I have never forgotten that moment……

The emotion was clear.

I know Santa looks a bit dodge in this photo, so who could blame my son for flipping out. But then again, my sons screams could make dogs ear drums explode. So poor Santa was most likely rethinking his $16 an hour wage, and wanting to probably call it quits immediately.

Santas’ eyes say it all….”I’m too old for this shit. Get me out of this hell hole”.

After the evil Santa experience, I was horrified. My kid hated Santa. This couldn’t be happening, could it? I then watched other babies get placed in his lap and completely flip out. The hysterics and tears from other children actually comforted me. Phew, it wasn’t just my kid.

Throughout my sons next year of life, Santa was never mentioned. We didn’t want to relive the horror. Well I didn’t anyway. But of course, Christmas came around again. I really wanted to tackle the Santa photo again. A year had passed from that bloodcurdling screaming day, and I was going to start afresh.

So a couple of days before the Santa photo was happening, I brought it up with my son….

“We are going to visit Santa today!! Yay! How exciting!! This is going to be awesome and I think it’s impossible for crying to happen today, because it’s going to be the happiest day ever. Happy, happy, happy”.

I think I may have over done it on the happiness stuff. But, I was trying my hardest.

As we waited in line again, I started to get all sweaty. My heart was racing. I wondered if this going to end well. Of course it will. Reeve is older now, so he will like it better this time. We edged closer to the front and Reeve eventually spotted the guy in the red suit. He started to grab me that little bit tighter and never once took his eyes off him.

This doesn’t feel like it’s going to have a happy ending.

It was then our turn. And of course, it was the same ‘Santa’ dude as last year.

Crap.

My actual first Santa photo. I was probably a touch too happy.

I decided it would be best if I sat in the photo with him.

As you can see, I was a little too enthusiastic about the whole meet and greet. This was my first Santa photo after all. I was oozing happiness because I thought this would rub off on my son. There were no tears from him, so my plan worked a little. But he still looks very uncomfortable. Mummy on the other hand, looks too comfortable. Ewww.

But now my son is turning three at the end of the year, I think he may have warmed to Santa a bit more. We talk about him more, and he seems a bit excited. Not sure whether to do the whole Santa photo thing again though. Am I bad parent if I do? I think I will give it one more go. Why not?

Does anyone else do the yearly Santa photo with their kids? Are your kids scared of him too?

Love (as Reeve says),

xxoo

p.s.  Santa really is a bit terrifying when you think about it. A big guy who watches every move our kids make, plus sneaks into our houses at night?? I think my kid may have a bit of a point.

Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT