Santa Lap Pic "Crisis"

So tonight was our "going to sit on Santa's lap" night. Naperville does this precious Santa House, so we decided to forego the usual mall route for this instead. The experience was MAGICAL! Furtive parents get to write down their kids' names, ages, and wishes on little strips of paper, which Santa actually memorizes before his door opens to each family. Each family gets to go into Santa's House one at a time by themselves, with no one further back in line giving any "hurry up" looks. :-P It's peaceful & enchanting - not a bustling sensory overload like the mall. Santa was calm & sweet, not loud & boisterous. The kids were excited (but not actually shocked or surprised, b/c they believe he's one of God's helpers who keeps tabs on us) that he knew their names, ages, and what they might want. He took 5 full minutes with them. :-)






The only flaw in the whole experience? I was going to pay for their portrait, so I didn't care that I couldn't see their (esp. Annelise's) faces in all of my candids... But when I saw it, #1 - the color from the lights made it all yellow, #2 - it was even a little blurry, and #3 - Annelise was looking away. My heart shattered. I couldn't put them back on Santa's lap, b/c the other helper had already opened the door for the next family. Gutted, I just said, "Oh, no thank you," to the pic and shuttled the kids out the exit door.

Admittedly, I obsess over the annual Santa lap picture. I may have the only two kids in the world who have ALWAYS loved & taken happy Santa lap pics. Will even smiled in his at 4 months!!!







I have picture frame ornaments, with the year engraved on each one, that contain these annual Santa lap pics from the beginning. I have our 2009 ornament waiting...but NOW what do I do for it?!?!?!?! [OK, yes - I am more than slightly bothered by this.] I don't want to go back there, necessarily, b/c their lighting & print quality aren't going to change; but I don't want to quickly go see another Santa tomorrow, b/c they'll know it's a different man. ACK! (The urgency is b/c I want to get it on our Christmas card & out, too.) Do I let it go and use one of my faceless candids on our ornament & skip it on the card; do we go back to the Santa House & I just try to get what I want with my own camera; or do we go to a different pro Santa altogether? (And if we go to a different one, how do I explain why he's a different guy, if [when!] they ask?) HELP ME...

Comments

  1. I wouldn't stress too much about the "different" santa. My boys firmly believe that the REAL Santa Claus is busy in the North Pole (of course) and all these guys at the mall are just dressed up in a suit. ;-)

    Whatever picture you use, your kids are adorable and it will be great. I'm sorry it didn't work out the way you had hoped!

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  2. If you decide to go with one of yours, the one where they are both looking AT Santa is cute. That way you aren't getting a WHOLE face of either of them.

    however, I am totally OCD about pics so I would take mine back. I'd just take them to the same guy and if anyone asks, thye just wanted to see him again!

    I'm sorry this happened!

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  3. i agree, i like the one where they are both looking at santa - you can tell they are both smiling. take heart, there is a solution. breathe, and push on ahead. you'll find the answer you're looking for!

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  4. Thank you all SOOOO MUCH for taking the time to respond!!! You all seriously made me feel so much better & helped me work this out. I just posted my whole resolution! :-)

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