When children meet Santa, it can be contemplative – but it doesn’t have to be. These children have so no desire for Santa Claus!
Smile once for santa claus
Especially in America, it is a popular tradition that children can meet Santa Claus in department stores or public places every Christmas. They sit down on his lap, read him their wish list and hope that they have been good enough to receive a lot of presents on Christmas morning. Last but not least there is a photo as a souvenir.
Actually, you would think that after waiting in line for hours, the kids can’t wait to finally see Santa Claus.
But these amusing pictures tell a very different story: because it seems that not every child is happy about sitting on the lap of a man who is actually a stranger.
Santa is somehow a stranger too
But let’s be honest: Normally we would never push our children into the arms of a stranger. It is clear that this situation can be scary especially for the little ones. Packs me now in his bag and takes me with him?
It doesn’t make the situation any better when Santa Claus comes to your house. This is also not unusual, especially in America.
Santa Claus and Christ Child do their job rather secretly with us. At the most Santa Claus comes to visit the kindergarten or at home. There is also much more room for childish fantasies.
The older the children get, the more skepticism they have about whether Santa Claus is real. Especially when he also looks very suspiciously like your uncle, parents quickly get into trouble explaining in front of their children.
A few little white lies for typical children’s questions on the subject, you should have ready anyway: Does Santa Claus exist?? Answers to tricky children’s questions
Do not force children to take a photo
Does this mean for us parents that we are no longer allowed to tell the fairy tale of Santa Claus and Christ Child and take such souvenir photos?
Ultimately, of course, you decide for yourself. Still, you should definitely not coerce your kids to have their picture taken with Santa if they are scared of it.
Dig into your memory: maybe you yourself have a rather unpleasant memory of Santa Claus. Or ask your own parents for old childhood photos like this one – it usually helps the gray matter kick in.
Looking at it objectively, some disguises look really creepy too. We’d rather hide from this Santa too. He’s taken to really whipping out the rod when his ominous "good or bad" list reveals that you haven’t always been good throughout the year.
By the way, this very thing can scare children quite a bit: Santa Claus as an omniscient figure who watches you all year long and judges your behavior. Parents should therefore take their responsibility seriously as to what image of Santa they wish to convey.
Because clearly, what we as trusted people tell our children, they will believe us. In the first years even without questioning it much.
3 Tips to Prevent a Santa Trauma
To make sure your child remembers Santa, St. Nicholas, or even the Christ Child in only a positive light, there are a few things you can watch out for: