to santa or not to santa?

last year we didn't bother to take liam to visit santa.  i didn't really want to have him completely meltdown and get super freaked out about the jolly old man in red.  i mean to an eighteen month old santa is a pretty scary dude.  we i made the executive decision to just not do the whole santa photo thing.  partly to spare liam the potential emotion torture and partly because i didn't want to stand in a weekend line up only to have a picture of a screaming child on santa's knee.  or worse, no picture at all and a kid with a santa complex.

this year, i think, could be a little different.  liam might still be a little freaked out and develop a fear of santa.   however we started talking about santa and what he's all about at the beginning of the month.  what he looks like.  who he is.  where he lives.  about his reindeer.  and of course the presents.  not sure he's putting two and two together, but he understands presents.  we've also been talking a lot about santa's elves.  very important because this year we're starting our elf on the shelf tradition and "hermey" will make his appearance in a couple weeks.  (yup he's named after the elf in rudolph the red nose reindeer claymation ... all time favourite christmas show)  can't wait for liam and i to go hunting for him each morning to see what crazy things he been up to.  but back to the jolly old elf.  even with all the prep about santa we could end up with the "my parents forced me to sit with this strange man and i'm going to scream about it" photo.  or we could have a lovely liam, averie and santa photo session.  wishful thinking?

how do you prep your little ones for a meet and greet with santa?

liam's first santa encounter

christmas 2010 ~ five months old

how much do i love that sweater and his comb over?