A Visit With Santa -- Without Tears!

At the last minute, I decided to take the kids to the mall to see Santa. Last year we went close to Christmas and the lines were extremely long. It was the Tuesday morning before Thanksgiving and surely everyone would be at home cooking. Well, not everyone. There was a line but it was short and it gave the kids time to watch Santa from a distance and warm up to him. I had Karis take Kyle around the corner a couple times to see Santa and every time he came back saying, "I scared." It wasn't looking good...

The girls were excited to talk to Santa to tell him about the Rapunzel and Ariel dolls they want for Christmas. Makena, our more fearful one, said Santa was nice and that she liked him. 

I love how Santa and Karis have the same looks on their faces!

While the girls talked with Santa, I had a talk with Kyle. He had a worried look on his face and kept telling me, "I scared." I really wanted a photo of him with Santa but how could I just throw him on Santa's lap? Thankfully, Santa gave me a few minutes. I used my last resort -- fruit snacks. Sure enough, Kyle was willing to stand in front of Santa with fruit snacks in hand. 

A perfect picture ... once I crop out the fruit snacks!

A Visit With Santa

We didn't really talk about Santa in our home last year. Karis caught on to who he is and what he does through preschool and TV. I kinda blew it by not getting her a gift from Santa. This year, we embraced Santa. We didn't really make a big deal of it, but we talked about it whenever the girls asked. 

The girls really wanted to talk to Santa to tell him what they wanted. We went to The Bass Pro Shop that had a Santa Wonderland with free pictures and lots of activities to keep the kids busy during the wait. The girls got dressed up and we arrived late morning only to find out that we couldn't see him until 2:30 pm. We took a ticket that reserved our spot for later in the afternoon. We went home a little disappointed but came back right before we headed to Derek's staff Christmas party. 

Karis told Santa that she wanted Barbie dolls and Makena asked for a sparkly tray (a laptop tray that she draws on). 

When I handed Kyle to Santa, I told Santa to hold him tight. I knew Kyle wasn't going to want anything to do with him. He was sick and not feeling well.

After we took the photos, they told us that they accidentally deleted the photo of Kyle with Santa. We had to put him back on Santa's lap for another photo. Poor thing -- I felt so bad. 

Santa Didn't Come to Our House

When Karis was an infant, Derek and I briefly talked about how we would approach Santa with the kids. We decided that we wouldn't indulge our kids with Santa but tell them that he is just a part of Christmas but it's all about Jesus' birthday... something like that. As Christmas approached this year, all of the kids shows on TV were about Santa Claus. I had a feeling that Karis was learning more about Santa than I would have liked. I asked her who Santa was and she seemed disinterested and said, "I don't know" (but from the picture above, she clearly knew more than she was letting on). I knew preschool wouldn't make a big deal of Santa since it's a Christian preschool and she's been coming home with pictures of baby Jesus and wise men.  I thought we were in the clear.

Karis came home one day from preschool with a little craft activity that said, "All I want for Christmas is..."  Her teacher wrote in "a teddy bear" for her. After talking with Karis, she confirmed that that's what she wanted for Christmas. When we went to take photos with Santa, I was giving her ideas of what she could talk to Santa about. I told her to tell him that she wants a teddy bear. And so she did. 

I went to the toy store and bought a teddy bear. It was a gift from my sister to Karis. I thought for sure it would be the biggest hit of all the gifts she received. When Karis opened it on Christmas day, her eyes got real big and she said, "It's from Santa!" I quickly corrected her and said, "No, it's from Patty Emo. Santa told Patty that that's what you wanted."

Later that morning, as the girls were playing outside in the snow, Karis ran over to our next door neighbor and told her, "Santa didn't come to my house." Our neighbor gave Derek a look, feeling sorry for our child. 

Karis is still sad that Santa didn't bring her a present. She wanted a teddy bear from Santa. She gets sad when I tell her Christmas is over. She doesn't want me to take our tree down. 

I feel like I blew it! I don't want Christmas to be all about Santa but it is fun to see the wonderment of Santa in the kids. We'll have to be more prepared next year and have a different game plan ... 

Back to the Mall to Visit with Santa

When Karis was one, I went to the mall to get a photo of her with Santa. We waited in a long line, and to my surprise, our little social butterfly was terrified of Santa. It made for a fun photo, but I decided back then that I wouldn't do it again. 

We then moved to Irvine and our neighborhood had a Christmas party every year that Mr. and Mrs. Claus attended. Santa had a horribly fake beard, but we at least got a picture with him in an easy and stress-free way. 

Makena has never been a fan of Santa. I love the series of photos I got of her the first time she met him (click here to see the photos).  Even the year after, she wouldn't sit with him. This year, Makena was excited to see Santa. I told her last night we were going to see Santa and she wanted to go "now." This morning, she was still excited. I asked her what she was going to tell Santa she wanted for Christmas (even though both girls don't really understand who Santa is). She thought about it and then said, "Jesus!" I laughed and then put her shirt on and she said, "I look pretty for Santa." I left the house very hopeful that I was going to get a photo of her on Santa's lap. As we walked through the mall, she called out, "Santa, where are you?" 

There was only one family ahead of us. When it was our turn, Makena had fear in her eyes. Karis hesitated for a few seconds, but she then went up to Santa. Makena refused. I took some photos of Karis and then put Kyle on Santa's lap. I asked Makena to sit with Santa again and she said no. Knowing my child as well as I do, I said, "Makena, Santa will give you candy!" And off she went...

I put Kyle back in the stroller and was ready to go. I looked back and Karis was talking with Santa about what she wants for Christmas. I quickly took another photo and it turned out to be my favorite one.

A Visit With Santa and Mrs. Claus

We no longer go to the mall to stand in crazy-long lines for a picture with Santa.  I did it once when Karis was one.  The Santa was crabby and Karis wanted nothing to do with him (click here to check out the photos).  

This year we went to our neighborhood Christmas party again.  They have cookies, hot cocoa, goodie bags, and crafts.  There's no line to take a picture with Santa and you can take as much time as you need to get the kids ready to meet Santa.   

Karis loves the train that circles the Christmas tree. 

Mrs. Claus remembered Karis from last year because she was so happy.

Like last year, Makena was afraid to sit with Santa so I jumped in the picture with her.  (click here for last year's picture!)

Santa in Our Neighborhood

Earlier tonight, we bundled the kids up, grabbed the umbrella and walked over to our neighborhood clubhouse to meet Santa. I wanted to get photos of the girls and Santa, but I was trying not to get my hopes up too high. If you remember, last year didn't go so well.. (click here to see photos from last year).

Right before we left, I quickly showed Karis a Dora show that had Santa in it. I told her we were going to see him (she hasn't heard much about Santa yet). When we got to the clubhouse, she saw Santa across the room, walked right to him, and got on his lap. Yay!

Makena, on the otherhand, was a different story. She wasn't in a good mood before we arrived and she certainly didn't want to hang out with Santa. She tried so hard not to cry but she couldn't hold back for long. That's okay... I think the crying photos are just as cute!

We had some Christmas cookies, did a craft project, and then watched the train for a little bit. We then headed back out in the rain to go home for dinner. Karis hopped in puddles all the way home...

A Day At The Mall To Meet Santa

Today Karis and I went to the mall (Fashion Island). I wanted to relax and enjoy the day since I'm finally done baking, shopping and writing Christmas cards. I also wanted to get a photo of Karis and Santa.

We waited in the long line to meet Santa which surprisingly only took about a half hour.

Karis enjoyed meeting some people in line and checking out the mall.

She took a quick little ride on a wooden pony just before meeting Santa. She was being a little over-dramatic, if you ask me.

While in line, one lady asked me, "So are there going to be smiles or tears?" I assured her that it would be all smiles with Karis. She's never met anyone she doesn't like and is quite the social butterfly. I think that's why I like these photos so much. She took one look at Santa and wanted nothing to do with him.

That's okay... I don't really like Santa either. I'd be okay if this was Karis' first and last photo session with him.

We walked around a little, took photos, and met a lady with her dog. Karis was so excited to see a mini Greyhound in a Santa jacket. The lady had to stop b/c she didn't know why my baby was smiling and so happy.

We watched the carousel and then stopped at the water fountain. The mall is surprisingly a great place to be when you don't have a shopping list. It was quite peaceful and fun!