Pictures with Santa 2012

Addiction. noun. The fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.  

I am addicted.  It's true.  I have the condition of being addicted to a particular thing/ activity: ONLY taking Santa pictures with the REAL Santa at Northpark Mall.  I can't help myself.  I had my picture taken with this particular Santa from the time I was about 8 years old, and since P's first Santa picture was with him, I now feel an extreme loyalty (a euphemism for addiction) towards this particular Santa, and like most addicts, will go to extreme lengths (including getting to the mall before the shops even open to get a number to then be told to come back 5 hours later) and pay silly amounts of money ($15 for a 5x7?) to get my fix.  But it is SO worth it! :)

This year I got to the mall around 9:50 AM, and here's what I was met with:

Young college guy working the Santa stand:  Good morning.

Me: Hi!  I need to get a number to see Santa.

YCGWTSS hands me a number.  It says 105.  I try to act like I totally expect this and accept the fact that 104 other parents showed up before me that morning because, well, they're better parents than me (or maybe just more addicted than yours truly).

Me: (As nonchalantly as possible) So, what time would you suggest coming back with this number? 

YCGWTSS: Well, with 105, we would suggest coming back around 3:00 or 3:30.

What I'm thinking in this moment:  Yeah right, mister.  I'll just wake my child up early from his nap so we can come take a picture with your Santa to then get to drive home in rush hour traffic.  This sounds like a splendid idea.  This system really takes advantage of crazy addicts like me.  Shame on you for preying on our weakness.

What I really say: (with a calm, cool smile on my face) Oh, okay, great.  That should work out just perfectly. :) 

Thankfully, we were able to jump in line about 1:00 after lunch with some friends, so it really wasn't so bad.

Last year, P's picture with this Santa was very Norman Rockwall-esc.  He was looking up and studying Santa, while Santa looked down at him.  So sweet.  Now, this is not to say that it didn't dissolve into tears after the picture was taken, but the moment that was captured was priceless.

This year he knew that Santa said "Ho, Ho, Ho," but that was about it.  No real understanding about who this guy is or what the hoopla is all about.

Remember the Christmas Tree Monkey?  Well, he was with us for our visit to see Santa.

You know things aren't going well when an Elmo (Parker's favorite thing in the world) is being waved around, and he won't even acknowledge it.

Continuing to look weary of this whole thing.

 
The final product.
Bless the kid's heart.  We decided he was concerned that Santa was going to take his Christmas Tree Monkey. :)  I think P has a death-grip on the thing.

Maybe next year we'll have a better understanding for who this guy is and why we should smile when we meet him.  A pretty classic picture, none-the-less.