Every year we have tried to go to a mall or some other such place and get the kids photographed with Santa. We have managed to pull it off once in a public setting when they were on their first Christmas and not in any public setting since. The lines are always crazy and I may be a curmudgeon but I think waiting in line for three hours is flat out stupid. Your telling me that I need to wait in line with triplets and keep them entertained for hours at a time while standing and then pay some fat man for the privilege to put my children in this strangers lap?
It has never worked out for me and the family. I try to take other chances to get that photo done and I am almost decided to go ahead and buy a Santa costume and have a nice photo shoot for friends and family because this public Santa is for the birds.
I always take my kids to the fire department's "pancakes with santa". I get a greasy southern breakfast, a chance to interact with other parents in the community, and a free pic with santa (and also the obligatory candy cane). The proceeds go to charity, and the firemen and firetrucks are always a treat.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing I do is santa's village in Richardson. It's a huge christmas fair with all the craziness of a christmas trip with hunter s thompson. In that one, i stand in line while the kids have fun with the other things. Again, free photo, and a lot of entertainment--but if one is not ok with crowds, may not be a fun time.