How To Get That Perfect Picture With Santa!

We had the pleasure of meeting Santa at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine this Saturday and honestly, Emerson had the BEST time! Now that we have conquered this first time parent fear, I thought I would offer some advice to those seeking that perfect picture with Santa! So here goes...

1. The perfect timing. We called ahead to see what Santa's schedule looked like and we ended up arriving at 5:30 while Santa was on his dinner break. We thought it'd be a good strategy to avoid a longer line/wait than what we'd inevitabley be subject to. 

2. Liquid courage (for YOU, not the baby! Duh!). A HUGE benefit of visiting Santa at a resort in lieu of the mall is that at hotels they serve drinks. Yep, you heard me correctly. Santa pictures are stressful and determined to have a good time Derek grabbed us some margaritas for us to sip on while waiting for Santa to return from dinner. Seriously, name any other venue where you can have a cocktail amidst the madness of taking your child's picture with Santa... yeah it was awesome! I highly recommend it.  

3. Socialize & Sympathize. Being that we had about 30 minutes to kill we started talking to the couple in front of us who had brought their 3 week old daughter to meet the big guy! She was so tiny and precious (I miss Emerson being that small!) and just like us her mommy was nervous about how she'd handle this whole crazy experience. This family was great and we took each others pictures while in line and held each others stuff during our time with Santa. Nothing like new parent comradery to give you the confidence that you've made all the right moves to capture those precious holiday moments on film!

4. Wait it out. The wait ended up being a blessing in disguise because it allowed Emerson time to have a bottle and take a nap. Despite all of the excitement, he slept quite soundly. Be prepared with food, their fave toy and blanket. Comfortable well rested babes take better, happier pictures!

5. Make it a family affair. The families ahead of us would hand their kids off to Santa and step back to let the shoot begin. As soon as they started to head out of sight the littles would break down. No wonder! It's quite intimidating and daunting to be the center of all that attention so we decided to ease Emerson into it. For the first few shots we joined Emerson for a picture with Santa. Then I introduced Santa to our son and Santa to Emerson. I took a moment to assure him he was safe and sound and we then slowly backed away. Totally worked!

 

6. Don't forget the details. Note special things in your mind prior to handing off baby to Santa. For example, Emerson's pajamas had a smocked Santa on them so sitting him on Santa's left knee was essential for best showing off those cute jammies mommy paid dearly for. 

7. You get what you get and you don't throw a fit. My best advice came from my mother who said "Even if the baby is hysterical, make sure you and Derek just relax and laugh it off. No matter what the picture looks like, it's the memory that counts so make it a good one!". Such a smart Granna!

I sure hope this post finds you well and helps you to snap that perfect shot with Santa. Merry Christmas Y'all!!