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We attended a Christmas party today. Santa came and each child received a small gift and had the chance to sit on Santa's lap. It was amusing to watch the reactions of these kids, all under 3. Well over half of them began to cry as their parents brought them near the big red furry man. My favorite was a set of tripletts, all hysterical as the squirmed to get away. Mean, yes, but what a funny photo! It made me wonder, how much of Santa-fright is just a natural tendency toward an odd looking man, and how much is learned by seeing other kids cry? How has your child reacted to Santa over the years? Has it changed from year to year?
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H is perfectly happy to talk about him, read books about him, point out pictures of him, even carries a stuffed Santa around the house occasionally. But he wants no part of the lap business. Our nanny tried to coax him into Santa's house at the shopping plaza. No deal. We tried. Nope. His grandparents tried. Uh uh. The day our nanny took him, she was giving me the end of day briefing and told me about it. H took my hand, had me sit down on the stairs w/ him and very earnestly said: "NO SANTA! Santa sat down in baby house, and go night night. Henson (that's not his name, but he can't say it yet) in car and take jacket off." Translation: I do not wish to converse with Santa. In my opinion, Santa should enter his small domicile and retire for the evening while I watch from the safety of my vehicle after removing my outerwear.
As seen in the pictures below:
The first year we were golden. Smiles and giggles abounded. She drew quite and audience.
Last year....a total disaster (same Santa btw). However, the picture ended up being totally cute anyhow.
This year....I think we've reached a truce with Santa. When he asked her what she wanted for Christmas she responded "Art supplies". We did no coaching for this answer, she came up with it on her own. She even got to hold Santa's keys.
I've had a lot of experience with the second Christmas being the worse. My neice screamed on Santa's lap when she was 2, my other neice just did the same thing this year and she'll be 2 next month. My oldest was 2 last year and fell apart on Santa's lap and was so traumatized by the event, she talked about crying for Santa for months. I'm talking this past summer she was still bring up Santa and crying. She also screamed and cried last year when Santa came to her daycare and came to Grandma and Grandpa's house on Christmas day. She was terrified of him. We'll see how this year goes. She talks about my neice, her cousin, being 3 last year and not crying for Santa and how she is 3 this year. My youngest is 2. I'm ready for a screaming picture of her on Santa's lap. I've heard quite a few people say 2 was the year of screaming. My family has a picture of my brother sliding off Santa's lap, red faced and screaming when he was 2 also. I think it's an age thing.
Lets see... last year was DD's first year so I didn't do the Santa thing (I hate crowds to begin with... no way was I waiting for Santa! and she was only about 9 months old). From the day she was born till about a month ago DD loved everyone and would go to perfect strangers. I tried taking DD to see Santa this year (like many others, she will talk about Santa, point him out, yadda yadda yadda... she's also almost 2) thinking she'd be fine. Her cousin (4 months older than her) went too and sat with Santa first. He was fine, DD saw that. As soon as DD had any inkling I was handing her over to Santa, she flipped out on me and was hanging onto me for dear life! I managed to get her to sit on Santa's lap, but she kept trying to get down and kept reaching for me, so I forwent the pictures. Maybe next year, right? :)
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My oldest is 9 years old. The only picture I have of him with Santa is when he was three months old. He still wants nothing to do with him. (Other than presents in his stocking! ;) )
My four-year-old daughter sings Santa Claus Is Coming to Town all day long, but gives Santa a WIDE berth at the mall, and wouldn't sit on his lap for anything and never has.
My four-year-old son would sit on Santa's lap and chat all day long given the opportunity!
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