4 Ways to Make Your Visit with Santa a Success this Year

It’s that time of the year when visiting Santa Claus is in the plans, the parents are excited hoping to get that picture perfect photo of everyone smiling and happy to be visiting Santa. But, what parents don’t realize is that the Santa visit can quickly turn into a fail if they don’t prepare ahead of time.

You constantly teach your kids not to trust strangers. Right? But, then you expect them to sit on this strangers lap and smile all happy. Unless your child is old enough to understand, but then they may not be in the believe in Santa stage anymore, then you need to prepare them for the visit ahead of time.

4 Ways to Make Your Visit with Santa a Success this Year:

First of all, you are making this an enjoyable season.

So keep that in mind when taking your child to visit Santa and pick a place that is not overcrowded. The best is if you can take a day off, and go during the work days. Less crowded, more personal and gives you more time to ensure your child is willing to meet Santa.

Second, take your child ahead of time

Introduce them to Santa and the whole experience and ask them if they want to come back tomorrow. Make it a regular trip to the place, walk around and point out the Christmas decor and Santa and talk about it. Make it a “normal” thing. They’ll feel up for it. We went a few days before the oficial visit and saw Santa’s house and all the Christmas decor, and the boys were asking so many questions, like where is Santa? I told them Santa hasn’t arrived yet, and asked if they want to come back and see Santa when he comes and they were SO excited! They loved his little house. Truth be told I planned on bringing them back anyways, but that’s not the point – the point is I involved the boys in the process, warmed them up to the idea and the experience.

Don’t go during their nap time.

This is the worst. I feel so bad for the kids that sit in the line waiting for Santa all fussy throwinf tantrums and being upset, just to find out the parent decided that it was a good idea to skip the nap to visit Santa. No! The worst idea you had thus far. Don’t interrupt their routine, especially not their nap. This is all about them and their experience so take them when they are normally the happiest and full of energy.

Use a bit of bribery.

Hey! I am just being honest here, and quite frankly we do it on a regular basis anyways to take photos with our kids or of our kids. So nothing wrong with doing it for that one photo with Santa. As you read more down you’ll see how I bribed the boys last year. But, it doesn’t hurt to try and tends to work.

While sitting in the line waiting for your turn, point out things to your child like the mailbox for Santa letters and talk about that for a sec. We “mail” our letters each year so I always reference how Santa now has their letter and is working on their “wishlist”. Then when it’s your turn, hold them so their back is facing Santa, have them sit on the lap and quickly scoot back and snap a photo or wait for the photographer to snap one. It literally takes a second to snap a photo, so this is where you need to be good at photos mama. Snap as many as you can.

And then, I know that sometimes no matter what you do your child may not be up for a Santa visit, and that’s okay. At least you tried, and can document the experience as is. It wouldn’t hurt to get someone in the family to dress up as Santa either.

Funny story…

So what happened to me one year is funny now but not funny then. My phone decide to quit on me while waiting in the line, it just shut itself off and wouldn’t turn back on. This was before I had my Canon. It wouldn’t turn back on. I was getting anxious as it was about to be our turn, the boys were still behaving. I was ready to ask the next person to let me borrow their phone and have them text me the picture because what else could I do?!?! Thankfully my phone turned back on, and I was able to capture the moment.

Visiting Santa last year

We have been to a few places throughout the years, and we found a place where we enjoy the Santa visit the most. He walks down the sidewalk, high-fives the kids before taking a seat in his comfy chair, and all the kids get excited for the candy canes Santa hands to them. He even calls them by their names. The parents get a chance to snap some candid photos ahead and then the one we have been waiting for all year – the kids sitting in Santa’s lap.

I won’t lie, I did use a bit of bribery for the boys to make sure they’ll be good with Santa. That whole month they didn’t get a single toy, so I told them if they are good with Santa that we would stop by the toy store (which was right by Santa) and they can pick out a toy. They were up for it. I really made it enjoyable for all of us, and didn’t push them. I let them be themselves, get comfortable with Santa and see all the other kids too. I’ll report later how it goes this year with three of them. Vasilije already told me that he is big enough and can stand next to Santa while baby sister amd brother sit in Santa’s lap. Works for me.

How about you, are you looking forward to your visit with Santa this year? Where do you normally go?