Okay, and that Santa is in a trailer with bad wood paneling in the parking lot of a K-Mart.
I think it helps to focus on the boots...
Is it just me or does time fly faster than Santa's reindeer?
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1985 The Pretty Princess was 2 weeks old. |
Here's your photo...
She really wasn't sure about this at all but by the following year she had made up her mind.
She was terrified of Santa.
Well, the costume is a really bad one, I'll admit. I finally had to tell the photo elf to just take the picture screams and all.
A year later she had discovered HE BRINGS PRESENTS! Well NOW we are talking.
I'm thinking this was a My Pretty Pony, Cherry Merry Muffin, Care Bear discussion...
Around this time she realized the whole Santa visit was also a photo op.
Now she's just working us...and Santa.
She is still VERY good at this.
Oh.
Sharing the spotlight.
Bummer.
Well he can't ask for much, right?
This was the year we discovered a nearly authentic version of Santa. He even had me fooled.
This is my all time favorite.
So precious.
Pigtails.
I miss that.
The haughty Mr. Snarky made his first holiday appearance in '93.
His expression sums up his whole attitude.
You gotta problem with that?
While waiting in a long line for our chance to visit with Mr. Claus Mr. Snarky disappeared. Two parents and two grandparents were looking frantically for him when we heard a man yell "HEY! That's not my kid!" My husband and I exchanged glances that said "No. He would be ours." There he was, sitting on SC's lap with another boy. When we asked him why he cut in line he just said "He's right there, why are we standing around?"
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1996 |
A couple of years came off without a hitch and the kids looked forward to it.

The princess is in the braces years, Mr. Snarky is in the full throes of Legomania (symptoms include a crazed facial expression whenever the toy is discussed).
Time just kept marching on...
and on...
The kids got older, the lists got longer, the Santas got better and the photos got more expensive.
We had just returned from London, where I had wanted to have the Santa photo made but was informed that the kids would have to STAND next to Father Christmas as sitting on his lap was considered...sort of suggestive.
Oh heaven help me, are they kidding?
We all especially love this one of Mr. Snarky...
The photo above was the last year I insisted they get the photo made.
The next two years they missed doing it so much that the following year they went and secretly had it made, framed it and gave it to me for Christmas. There was almost a tear.
Almost.
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2006 |
My daughter's new Christmas photo companion: her darling husband. |
2012 Who needs Santa?