Our visit with Santa

We haven't made a big deal of Santa around here, because we want him to take a small role at Christmas and have Jesus' birth take the bigger spot. Since we don't talk alot about Santa and don't have alot of Santa things around our house, Rebecca knew who he was but wasn't too thrilled or excited for him. She knows he fills our stockings at Christmas and the presents come from family.
I wanted to have her go see Santa and get a picture with him. When we talked about going to see him she was excited, until we got to the mall and she saw him. Then things changed. She clung to my legs and said she didn't want to meet Santa.
Corrine being the great big sister she is went up and sat on his lap and talked with him. But still Rebecca wasn't convinced that he was someone she wanted to meet.

The 3 big kids all got ready and posed for a picture and I handed Rebecca to Corrine. Corrine did her best to hold her screaming, trying to get away sister. This was probably the last time that I can convince Simeon & Corrine to sit on his lap.



I gave her a few minutes to calm down then came the time to get a picture of Rebecca with Santa alone. I asked Santa if he was alright holding a screaming kid. He told me it wouldn't be his 1st time doing it today. I sat her down, stepped back and got a few pictures of her screaming and kicking to get off.


I know it seemed mean to make her sit on his lap when she clearly wanted NOTHING to do with him. I don't want to look back in years and not have a picture of her with Santa when she was 2 years old, even if she's screaming and kicking in it. I think she'll look back at the picture years from now and laugh at her reaction.

I did though feel bad for the kids in line behind us who had to see a kid their age scared of Santa. Hopefully she didn't traumatize any of those kids!