We asked readers to send us funny photos of their kids with Santa. They delivered.
Each year, kids dream of Santa Claus — his red suit and rosy cheeks, his jolly greetings of “ho, ho, ho” and maybe, if they’re on the nice list, the presents he’ll leave for them under the Christmas tree.
Luckily, between shopping malls and holiday gatherings, there are ample opportunities for kids to meet the Jolly Old Elf — or at least one of his representatives — in person. That way, kids can share their wish list and, of course, take a photo to seal those precious, cheery holiday memories in family albums forever.
That’s the goal, at least.
Yes, while kids love Santa, sometimes actually meeting Ol’ St. Nick can be a little intimidating.
The encounters can incite tears, screams and dramatic facial expressions — and plenty of lighthearted laughter from parents and other onlookers.
The News & Observer and Durham Herald-Sun recently asked readers to send in pictures of their kids’ Santa photo sessions gone wrong.
We received about 20 submissions, and with permission from all of the kids’ parents, we’re reprinting the photos here to spread a little holiday cheer and chuckle.
Here are the photos.
A Bass Pro Shops tradition
Barbara Couchon sent in a photo of two of her grandchildren, Nicholas and Jacob Toolsie.
The photo, taken in November 2015, shows Nicholas (right) crying, while brother Jacob (left) “was trying to smile but instead it looked like an angry face.”
Couchon said her family has a tradition of going to see Santa at Bass Pro Shops in Cary every year over the Thanksgiving holiday.
‘Always brings a laugh’
Brittney Holaday sent in a photo of her children with Santa.
In the photo, both children are sitting on Santa’s lap — brother on the left, sister on the right, one more upset than the other.
“Our baby was not too thrilled to see Santa and our daughter was a bit disappointed by her brother’s reaction,” Holaday wrote.
Holaday said the photo is one of her family’s favorites and it “always brings a laugh.”
‘Sort of OK with it’
Paul Williams of Durham sent in a photo of his twin grandchildren, Sean and Brooke.
Williams said Brooke was “sort of OK” with meeting Santa — “until her brother lost it.”
‘Not impressed with Santa’
Darlene Mannise of Lillington sent in a photo of her great-grandson, Cameron.
Cameron, who appears to be dressed in a tiny Santa suit of his own, was 9 months old when the photo was taken, and Mannise said he “was not impressed with Santa.”
Expectation vs. reality
Elizabeth Peebles of Knightdale sent us what might be the best “expectation vs. reality” holiday photo we’ve seen.
The photos feature Peebles’ son Anthony — 6 months old in the photo on the left, and 18 months old in the photo on the right
Peebles said Anthony loved Santa last year when he was 6 months, so she “assumed that this year he would more than likely like Santa too.” Apparently, though, a year can make a big difference, and Peebles said she couldn’t have been more wrong with her assumption.
“Anthony cried the entire photo session,” she wrote.
Thankfully, Peebles is able to get a good laugh out of the photos anytime she looks at them.
“I know these will forever be some of my favorite Christmas pictures of my son!” she wrote.
‘From this day forward you always loved Santa Claus’
Teresa Howard sent in two photos that show the opposite of what happened with Elizabeth Peebles’ son — that is, Howard’s son cried the first time, but did much better the second time.
Howard’s photos show her son Tucker visiting with Santa in 1999, when he was 20 months old, and again a year later in 2000.
In 1999, Tucker wasn’t scared of Ol’ St. Nick at first, but then let out a big cry upon sitting on his lap and seeing his beard.
Fast forward one year, and Tucker was “actually very excited” to see Santa and came out of the experience with a happy, smiling photo.
“From this day forward you always loved Santa Claus,” Howard wrote under the photo in her son’s scrapbook.
‘Changed her mind after getting there’
Nancy Ritchie sent in photos of her granddaughters, Bailey and Mallory.
In one photo, Bailey was 2 years old and Mallory was 6 years old. Both girls were excited to visit with Santa at Milton’s Pizza in Wake Forest, Ritchie said, but “little Bailey changed her mind after getting there.”
Mallory, accompanied by her doll Blondie, appears to have enjoyed the experience and is smiling for the camera, despite her sister’s reaction.
A ‘serene expression on Santa’s face’
Celesta Carlson sent us a 1997 photo of her daughter Caroline.
While Caroline doesn’t seem happy about seeing Santa, Santa doesn’t seem too bothered.
“This photo cracks me up every time I look at it,” Carlson wrote. “I love the serene expression on Santa’s face.”
Not happy ‘about sitting on a stranger’s lap’
Faye Johnson sent in a photo of her great-niece, Julia.
Julia’s sad face tells the story: “She wasn’t too happy about sitting on a stranger’s lap even if it was Santa.”
Santa had the audacity to say ‘Ho, ho, ho’
Emily Anziano sent in a photo of her son Sammy.
The photo was taken in December 2015, when Sammy was 16 months old. Sammy apparently didn’t like it when Santa uttered his signature phrase, Anziano told us.
“Santa had the audacity to say ‘Ho, ho, ho,’” she wrote.
Anziano said the photo is her “absolute favorite” of Sammy.
Seeing Santa on Christmas Eve eve
Dick Reaves sent in a picture of his grandchildren visiting Santa a few years ago.
Reaves said it was a family tradition for all of the grandchildren to see Santa at Cary Towne Center on Christmas Eve eve, or Dec. 23.
Reaves noted that the older kids in the photo are smiling — but the child on Santa’s lap? Not so much.
‘Poor Santa’
Suzanne Magnus sent in a photo of Kinsley, who Magnus said was “petrified” when meeting Santa.
Magnus offered some sympathy to the Jolly Old Elf, writing “Poor Santa, having to deal with all those screaming children!”
‘An authentic picture was the way to go’
Mary Ann Wilson sent in a 2001 photo of her daughters, Rosie and Kerry.
Wilson said Rosie (left) was happy to meet someone new and sit on Santa’s lap, but sister Kerry (right) didn’t want anything to do with the jolly stranger.
As the photo shows, Kerry cried and wanted to get away from Santa. To make sure Kerry didn’t fall off the sleigh or Santa’s lap, Wilson said she held Kerry’s arm, which can also be seen in the photo.
The family could have waited for Kerry to calm down to take the photo, but decided instead that “an authentic picture was the way to go!” (Good call, Mary Ann. We agree.)
A skeptical side eye
Alan Wolf sent in a photo of his daughter Hannah, who “wasn’t thrilled about visiting Santa” when she was younger.
As she got older, Wolf wrote, Hannah “tolerated” the visits, but “not without giving him a skeptical side eye,” as seen in the photo.
‘I hope you aren’t scared for life’
Susan Teeter wrote to us and said she was “determined to have a picture of my kids with Santa every year so that I could line them up on a shelf and display them every Christmas.”
Well, one didn’t go so well, Teeter wrote.
The photo shows Teeter’s daughter Stephanie, who is now in her thirties, screaming and trying to wiggle away from Santa.
Teeter did offer some sympathy and apologies to her daughter in her email to The N&O.
“I’m sorry sweetie,” Teeter wrote. “I hope you aren’t scared for life.”
‘My all time favorite Santa picture’
Heather Calhoun sent in a 2014 photo of her two daughters, which might offer a key tip to any parents wanting a memorable photo in the future.
“I sat them on his lap and ran so we could get this pic,” Calhoun wrote.
Both girls are seen crying and possibly reaching for Calhoun behind the camera.
Calhoun said the photo is her “all time favorite Santa picture.”
“We still die laughing at it every year,” she wrote.
‘On the receiving end of the crying that year’
Kirsten Firminger of Durham sent in two photos.
In the first, which was taken in 2012, her 1-year-old daughter Jane sits alone on Santa’s lap crying.
The second photo, taken three years later, features a now-older and calmer Jane and her 1-year-old brother Hudson. And, like his sister in 2012, Hudson is now crying on Santa’s lap.
“Jane got to be on the receiving end of the crying that year!” Firminger wrote.
On the evening news
Apparently The N&O won’t be the first news outlet to publish this photo from Sissel Hartwell.
Hartwell said the photo, which features her daughter Jennifer, made the evening news in Detroit on the day it was taken 50 years ago.
As the photo shows, Jennifer wasn’t too happy about the experience, Hartwell wrote.
‘Not happy’
Debra Volkmar sent us a photo of her grandchildren from two years ago.
The kids look festive in their matching Christmas pajamas and rain boots, but Volkmar said her granddaughter “was not happy.”
‘Kept trying for four years’
Wendy Rice told us that every year her children “would want to go” see Santa “and were then terrified” upon seeing him.
Rice sent us multiple photos of her children, each with the same result — the kids crying, and sometimes screaming. Rice said she “kept trying for four years” to get the idyllic picture parents dream of, but it never seemed to happen.
Now, at 11 and 13, her kids are “too old to drag to Santa,” Rice wrote.
At least the laughs will last forever, right?
This story was originally published December 21, 2021 at 12:33 PM.
