Tuesday, December 21, 2010

here come santa claus

If you grew up celebrating Christmas in North America, chances are good that at some point when you were little you made your way to your local mall, wearing your Sunday best or an outfit scarily similar to your siblings, and stood in line so you could sit on Santa’s knee and smile for all of three seconds. It’s a holiday tradition that seems to satisfy parents looking for a festive photo and scare sweet babies into screaming at the top of their lungs. Watching moms and dads make silly faces, bribe their young ones and hope they’ll get a great family photo has always made me chuckle so discovering a whole website of funny, weird and scary Santa photos has weirdly enough brought a smile to my face this holiday season.
Personally, I’ve always liked Santa. A cheerful, jolly old man who is going to bring me presents and likes cookies? Really, what’s not to like? And I have to admit that I still wish he was real. It took me a long time to stop believing that good old Saint Nick wasn’t really flying around the world delivering presents to all the good little girls and boys because I really didn’t want to stop believing, I didn’t want it to be a lie. Believing in Santa was magical. Waking up one Christmas morning many years ago to find a Polaroid of the big guy in red sweetly watching over my sister and me as we slept was such a treat…and finding out that our neighbours had the same photo with the same Santa Clause caused so much excitement and only sealed the deal that he was certainly real. A few years after, I remember having a discussion with some friends, the great debate of Santa’s existence, and while most of us decided that it didn’t logically make sense, one friend, who wasn’t so well off, argued that there was no way her parents could afford all the presents she and her three siblings received each Christmas morning. Well, that was enough to convince me for at least another year that the Pere Noel really did exist.
This Christmas, I’m lucky enough to be celebrating with my two-year old and four-year old nephews who have been behaving extra well these last few months in the hopes that Santa and his reindeer will stop by and I cannot wait to see their faces come Christmas morning…Santa let me in on a little secret and I happen to know he’s bringing some pretty exciting gifts!

Did you believe in Santa? Do you want your children to?

20 comments:

Diana Mieczan said...

Hahaha those photos are so funny:) I remember those good times of crying babies and Santa:) I used to think he is real and if I have children I would love them to believe it too...Its a great tradition and magical time in each child's life:) Kisses, my dear
Have a great one

Brittany said...

I think I believe in Santa more today then I did as a child :) Or at least I want to! I love the excitement and the joys that little kids share during this holiday season!

Krista said...

I used to believe in Santa. I had one of my best friends tell me he wasn't real when I was little, and had my parents later confirm it as the truth. They told me not to tell my sisters. I don't think I kept that promise, sadly... =\

As for my children... I'd love for them to believe it. I think it's fun! I just don't want them thinking I lie to them about things like him and the Easter Bunny and things and feel that I'm a compulsive liar. =P

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I did believe in Santa but don't remember at what age I stopped. My daughter did as well, I think she found out around 2nd grade or so because of a tooth fairy mishap. These photos are just great, can't say I'd ever like to be a Santa, these pic's make it look pretty stressful.

a little black cloud in a dress said...

I don't tell Emma about Santa Claus, but only because I don't believe in lying, for any reason. Bryan tells her though, so she might have a chance at being normal! lol

Tiffany Kadani said...

These are so funny!

No, I don't want my children believing in Santa but admiring his desire to serve and give gifts.

SJ said...

i love the polaroid idea, that's so cute!

i used to love leaving out the cookies for santa and the carrots for the reindeer. my parents used to leave grated carrot outside and show us that the reindeer had been there. kids are what make christmas a lot more fun :)

kimbirdy said...

haha! what an awesome website!! my parents always said that my gifts were from santa, but i don't think i ever actually believed in santa. i always knew somehow that it was my parents who got me the stuff. maybe they were just really bad liars. :)

OneCraftyFox said...

These photos are the best!!

I think it's fun for kids to believe in Santa :)

Merry Christmas sweetie, I hope you have a fantastic holiday filled with laughter and love.

Jude said...

Hahaha, these are hysterical! I love the fun of kids believing in Santa, but I also don't want to lie to them....although, I guess at least it's a sweet lie at! :)

Ren- Lady Of The Arts said...

Totally funny- I love pictures of kids crying in all contexts- I took tons of photos of my kids when they were hysterical- I mean what else are you supposed to do- cry?

A Crimson Kiss said...

Creepy Santa Photos are my favorite! I would love for my kids to believe in Santa, but I think I was always a little skeptical. I discovered my baby teeth in a little Limoges box and unraveled the whole thing in just minutes!

pilgrimjamie said...

Oh dear... haha its so true. I recall one year I was about 5 or 6 and had a tooth pulled so my mouth was full of bloody gauze. I stopped at the mall with my mom so I could see santa and ask him to get me pocahontas and I just remember it be all " blauugrh blag blug" and my mom attempting to translate.

It retrospect it's embarrassingly hilarious!

Kaylia Payne said...

That's the best website ever!!! I stopped believing when I was 6, I had just learned to read and got a book..and in the front cover it said 'made in australia.' From then on nothing could convince me he was real.
I would love to go back and be a little less cynical!!
That's so great that you believed for so long :) And having kids around on Christmas day would be so fun!

Lily Riani said...

ahhahaha.... the photos are cute amd farnie.

Jessica said...

Oh my gosh! Hahaha! That website is hilarious. I wish I could find some old photos of me with Santa. This girl? Cryer.

Jenni Austria Germany said...

my family still does santa/stockings even though my sisters and i are all in our 20s! :)

Unknown said...

love these pics - i was never scared of santa as i learnt very early on that i got a present in return and my mum always told me i had to act like a big girl to set an example to my scardey cat sisters LOL xxx

LenoreNeverM♡re said...

I don't trust a man in fake beard & fur trimmings...
;)

Jenni Price said...

Pretty hilarious photos! I really love the last one! Hee! Hee!