At a Christmas luncheon the other day the subject of making children sit on Santa's lap for those much needed photo memories came up. I was quietly absent from that conversation. I didn't want to be a Christmas Party Pooper. Then my hairdresser told me he guilts his children into having their pictures taken on Santa's lap. He told them that is ALL he wanted for Christmas when they expressed their fear. 
That screaming child above: turned out to be my son-in-law! I rarely see him act like that now.
And here I am, the only photo I know of me on Santa's lap. I was old enough to not be doing that kinda thing if you ask me. I didn't trust him...told him I didn't believe he was really Santa. When he said he was indeed, I yanked his beard. Yup, I still remember hearing the elastic snap and the gasps from the crowd. I was swept away without so much as a, "Good job Sherlock!"
.There are no pictures of my kids sitting on Santa's lap. Nope. Jennifer was terrified of anyone dressed in costume, so we stayed on the other side of the mall. But anytime I see photos of children crying on Santa's lap, I can't help but laugh. It's an uncomfortable laugh, like when someone falls. It's hilarious, but should one really laugh? Yes, I mean No. Oh, but it's too funny.
. MAY I BRIBE YOU WITH A WOODLAND DELIGHT GIVEAWAY ?
.
I got to thinking. I'd like to bribe you into sharing your painful, er, I mean hilarious Santa photos. The photo could be of you, a relative, your kids, grandkids. Just please have it be a legitimate photo that you have permission to share (probably not one of your ex, ya know). I will need you to email a photo to me, via paulaprass@yahoo.com in a .jpg format. I will be posting them throughout the Holiday season. Then I will ask the rest of you to vote on your favorites. The winner will receive an entire set Woodland Delight Fat Quarters! Yes way! That's 25 fat quarters.
So just pretend this is you and your sister sitting on Santa's lap, or your kids, or you ARE Santa. Just make sure it's okay to share. I just might be asking you to show proof of the counseling sessions! I will put your photo right here for all to see for everyone to vote.
'So grab some eggnog and that old photo album. I am sorry if this Giveaway narrows down the contestants. I will have more giveaways, I promise. xoxo
i laughed out loud reading this post...seriously thought i was going to wake evienne up when i laughed. one of those "don't let this burst out of my lips cuz it's gonna be really loud" kind of laughs ;) you totally crack me up!
ReplyDeletei sure wish i had a santa pic, but, we have not done it for a few years, because, every pic has been with the kids crying. and all my pics are in storage, so i am sorry i cannot participate in your giveaway. i do look forward to seeing other people's pictures though. (wait a sec, lemme look in my mil pics, she might have a copy.)
ReplyDeleteoh dear, I don't have a crazy picture with santa, all happy smiles and whatnot..hmm...we're taking our 7 month old to see santa tomorrow, so maybe I'll get one then? ha thanks for the laugh! :)
ReplyDeletesanta's eyes say it all in pic above. lol
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are thinking this might be fun. I love a good laugh, even if it's at someone else's expense....Just Kidding!
ReplyDeleteAmy, please don't pinch the baby before you set him on Santa's lap just to win some fabric.
mandylifeboats..that Santa looks like one of those kids left a surprise on his lap!
Crying kids on Santa's lap are always my favorite. Now I'll go dig through my photos and see what I can find.
ReplyDeleteOh, is it sadistic to think this is a riot?! (and to wish I had some sort of catastrophic pic of my kids!) I think the worst I have is a pic of the kids when the little one still had the baby-food-orange complexion.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely good to have a laugh about the drama of the holidays!
i'm going to have to bribe one of my college friends to send me the picture from the first time she took her son to see Santa at the mall....he is absolutely distraught and Santa looks like he had been hitting the eggnog a little too hard...it's classic!!! I'm off to email her and beg if i have to!!
ReplyDeleteHey Paula, first...that picture of you is adorable (you in particular,not Elasta-Claus) and second, I think you pulling and snapping his beard is HILARIOUS!! thanks for sharing such a fun story!!
ReplyDeleteOne of the things I love most about you is your sense of humor! I can just hear your voice and your laugh when I'm reading your blog-- it's so you! What a great idea, Paula! I'm cracking up over here!! ps-- I just used some Summer Soiree on a fun project-- it's on my blog. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeletexo
Simone
i almost peed myself looking at these pictures! We had a town event where we had a St Nicholas instead of hte roly poly guy. whew, that was a mistake, most parents didn't know who st. nicholas was (they thought we had the pope there) and so the kids were a little freaked too. So much for a Victorian style santa hahaha. I wish I could share with you some of the pictures we took - they are as hilarious as these but not mine to share... Happpy New Year!
ReplyDeletePaula... I am sitting her laughing my head off. WHAT amazing pictures. I feel so sorry for these children!!! WHY do we do this to our children thinking this is FUN??? LOL
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