My first shoot of the season is next week...
Hints for taking your kids to see Santa:
Don't treat it like a doctor's visit. We all know what happens there.
Don't make a big deal out of it the first year or two (when they're to the "able to understand" stage).
Go early - the last week you're gonna wait in a LONG-ass line with everyone else who put things off. And when kids see other kids crying... Plus there's eating, bathrooms, changing, etc., etc... Early means short or no line, and time to get Christmas cards printed.
Which brings me to "Santa is okay with the whole family in the picture. It is more fun that way."
When you get to the front of the line, especially if your adorable little rugrat is between 8 months and three years old, stay nearby. Don't just walk up and throw the kid at Santa. Yeah, that happens. Be slow. Be gentle. And if Santa waves you off, stay there, but quit poking the kid at him. People have had pictures taken, and they're trying to figure out which exact ones they want. We can chat, we can talk to your adorable toddler, and if the kid is still skittish, we'll have about 5-10 seconds of puzzled look when you do hand him off (you are a MUCH better door than a window, get the heck out of the way of the camera) before the fireworks start.
Costumes are cute. Santa getting kicked in the junk by cut little costume boots may seem funny to you. Not to Santa. Santa hasn't dropped a kid yet, but he will hang on to the screaming and wriggling tyke, like an elf holds on to the last dram from that special spiked egg nog bottle, while trying to both not injure the child (primary) and himself (way back in the list...).
Gee, I need to do a blog or something.
