It's that's time of year, where I work my register, cringing at all the petrified children, being forced to sit on fat hairy strangers lap. Just for the sake of a photo. if your child is scared of a stranger, then dont force them. We spend our whole lives teaching kids stranger danger, and then we forget all about that, while a kid is kicking and screaming, just about passing out from a panic attack. Honestly, you have no idea who us under that fake beard, and padded suit.
6 Replies
I thought most set ups have adapted so kids don't have to sit on Santa's knee anymore? They can sit alongside or have props between child and Santa?
I'm surprised there are any sit on Santa's knee setups anymore. Any I've seen here it's stand or sit next to Santa.
I agree you shouldn't force a child to participate, but, the current 'making memories' trend & social media posting obsession seems to cloud judgement. I've seen several already.
We don't do Santa photos. I think it's weird as they're a stranger & the cost & pressure selling is insane.
I used to work in a store near the Santa station, the distressing screams gave me so much anxiety.
My colleague and I were talking about this the other day actually. Santa and some elves were basically accosting any small child they laid eyes on in the shopping centre we work in. They were so full on I wondered if any of them had actually ever worked with little kids before.
Almost every child who was approached looked absolutely petrified, meanwhile their mums were gleefully trying to get an insta worthy shot totally oblivious to their child’s discomfort and the fact their kid had just slipped into fight or flight mode 😂
I don’t have any photos of my kids with Santa, not sad about it either.
Encouraging the idea that a strange man comes into our house and leaves presents once a year while trying to teach them that at any other point in the year we definitely don’t accept gifts from strangers never really sat right with me. I take the same issue with Trick or Treating lol.
I don't think there are any stalls where the kids sit on Santa's knee anymore
My toddler niece and nephew just got a Santa photo done and they’re (happily) sitting on Santa’s knee. It’s definitely still a thing. I have also seen parents forcing a screaming child to even get within a metre of Santa, couple of my Facebook friends posted pictures of crying kids sitting next to Santa, which is apparently hilarious 🙄
I think the OP is just talking in a general sense, not just Santa’s lap specifically.
Hey anonymous, Kelly here
Did you want this posted on FB? Didn’t really have a question to be answered. Not sure if the FB world will receive it as well as the replies here either.
Just let me know if you really want it there too. Thanks!