Festive Santa Action
Now that we’ve fully embraced Christmas as a family, I thought it only fitting that I get a cute photo of my kids in Santa’s lap Archer and Fable meet with Santa, so last night we just did that. We journeyed to our favorite Encinitas haunt with my parents and sibings, roasted some ‘mellows, sipped some Mulled wine (parents only) and stood in line for some festive Santa action.
Archer with my brother, David
Fable with my dad
The line was surprisingly quick considering the vast assortment of children great and small scurrying around the gardens, and Archer waited patiently, standing on his tip-toes trying to sneak a peek at Santa through a thicket of lights and plants.
“Is there anything you want to ask Santa?” my mother asked.
Archer thought for a moment and then proclaimed excitedly, “Yes! I’d like to know how old he is!”
“Is there anything else you want to ask him? Like… what you want for Christmas, maybe?”
“Oh yeah! I forgot about that,” he smiled. “But I also want to know how old he is.”
Fair enough.
We arrived at the front of line, Santa introduced himself to Archer who crawled happily onto his lap.
“Ho, ho, ho,” Santa said, “What would you like for Christmas, Archer?”
“I would like to know how old you are.” Archer said.
“I’m very old,” Santa replied.
“How old?”
“So old I can’t remember!”
“Like a hundred?”
“Even older than that!”
“Whoooaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.”
Thoroughly impressed, Archer went on to tell Santa about the wooden Treehouse he’s spent the last month playing with at our local toystore – how “it’s his favorite and he would love THAT treehouse for Christmas. The one from the toystore, you know which one I mean?”
“I do indeed!” Santa said before forking over a candy-cane and helping Archer down off his lap.
“Merry Christmas,” he said.
“Merry Christmas.”
***
I wish I could remember what was so terrifying about Santa. I don’t know a single family that doesn’t have a worried-looking toddler Santa photo…
fable is all “get me the fuck away from this weirdo” while archer is just chilling. classic.
OMG, I love Fable in this shot. That is exACtly what my kid would do.
Right? I feel like its mandatory if you’re in the one-three vicinity to be like WTF WEIRD BEARDED MAN NOOOOOOO!!!!!
I just love the desperate look on Fable’s face here. Like, “MOM! What the hell? How could you leave me with this STRANGER?!”
I’ve got to say the photo of Fable’s reaction to Santa is such a relief. I skipped the Santa photo with my 2 year old, as I know she would have had NONE of it. I was afraid we were the only ones.
Even when she was one, my daughter (she’s three now) ran to Santa like he was her long lost friend. I’m talking tripping over herself, throwing her little body into him. This year, Santa went “Whoa.”
Our toddler spent days talking about how excited he was to meet Santa. Even when we were in line, he was all gung-ho chanting “Santa Santa Santa Santa!”. Once it was finally his turn, he refused to sit on his lap, screaming, “Noooooo Santa!!! Nooooooooooooo!”
is it wrong that i think her reaction is hilarious? i’m sure she survived, but damn, that’s funny.
hehe! i got fantastic, happy shots of my eight-month-old with santa. but the photographer specifically warned me that “it will be a whole different story next year.” (: luckily even the crying shots are adorable and have tons of character. especially with the contrast of big brother being so chill about it! funny pic, thanks for sharing. happy holidays!
I love Fable’s expression! Get me outta here!
LOVE HER FACE!! archer is bored, fable is scared shitless- a pic like this is so much better than two happy kids smiling- love ittttt!!!!
My 2 year old nephew went right up to Santa. he then waved and greeted Santa happily, attempted a two year old chat with Santa while getting his picture taken with his sister. Proceeded to thank him and then ran back to give Santa somce bones (fist bumps)
holy crud, I already think of fable as my 13-1/2 month’s buddy, but they also have the same reaction to santa!
Look how cool Archer is with Santa. Wow.. I have absolutely no pics of my kids with Santa other than with the expression Fable is giving! After a few years of son shrieking with terror on Santa’s knee I wised up and got my one and only shot of my twin daughters with him. They were 2.5 months old and darn it if one of them isn’t screaming her head off!
Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones and all the best in 2010!
Archer’s look of studied cool is too hilarious. He must spend a lot of time looking at himself in the mirror.
So incredibly cute. Love the photos. Especially the last one. We need a Fable’s drooling closet for that outfit! So rockstar status. And Archer is just adorable. =D
It *is* sort of a creepy tradition. But that’s coming from a Jewish girl who never got to sit on the bearded man’s oversized lap.
Glad Archer got his question answered though.