Professional or your own pics - With Santa

CantWait wrote: Do you get the professional pictures with Santa and your kids or do they allow for you to take pictures with your own camera and do you do so.

There's no way I can afford to pay the rediculous prices they ask for this year, but I'd still really like a picture with Anthony and Santa.

A&A'smommy replied: the few times I have taken alyssa before (she was terrified of him) I didn't have a very good camera so i bought them and I think I will buy them this year too even though I have a professional camera

Crystalina replied: We always do the picture with the "mall Santa" just because they like that but other than that I do my own.

luvbug00 replied: here they give you a hard time if you try and take your own. sadly, it's a rip off for $10 bucks i tell you!

stella6979 replied: I always take my camera but the place we go to offers one free pic so we don't pay for any.

My3LilMonkeys replied:
Same here. They tell you it's not allowed.

lovemy2 replied: I do both but only buy one of the ones they sell and copy them

Boo&BugsMom replied: They have a sign in the mall that asks to refrain from using your own camera while visiting Santa. The reason they give is they use the money from the pics to pay the people and Santa. Well, our mall is doing a multi-million dollar remodeling project so if they can afford that, they can pay Santa and his helpers with their own money. I don't pay attention to the sign and neither do many other people. I am not paying $25 for an 8x10, which is the CHEAPEST package they offer. They never say anything because they realize it's a ripoff and not many people can afford it. So, I use my own camera. I usually don't take them to get a really nice pic because I usually take a nice family photo in front of our tree for family and friends. I take the pics with Santa for keepsake is all.

HuskerMom replied: I would love to take Keith in for a pic with Santa but it's too expensive. I'm not going to do it this year anyway because he really doesn't understand who Santa is yet.

AlexsPajamaMama replied: Our walmart did free pics this year
I will never pay the prices the mall wants for pics with santa

holley79 replied: Here if you buy the bare minimum (15.00) then you can also take your own picture. That's what we did with the Easter Bunny.

Twelve Volt Man replied: This is the first year that we've had the fortune to have little one that we could take to see Santa. We went to the mall, expecting to let our little guy sit on Santa's lap, while we snap a few nice pictures we could use for a Christmas card.

We were surprised to find out that they only sell their own photos, and do not allow parents to take their own. Obviously, our seven month-old son is too young to want to see Santa, so this was something his mom and I were wanting to do. The mall/Santa people wanted $30 for the least expensive package that included a CD (which we needed to make Christmas cards).

I was disgusted by this, and refused to participate. It wasn't about the thirty bucks, as I had it in my wallet. I refused to pay for my kid to sit on Santa's lap. When I was kid (not THAT long ago), this was unheard of. Apparently, gone are the days of taking your kids to see Santa, and snapping your own picture. Nowadays, it seems that everyone is trying to cash in. Instead, we returned home. I donned my Santa suit (I used to dress up for my nieces and nephews, and still do for the kindergarteners at my wife's school) and we did it at home!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I myself have never had my picture taken with Santa. Not that it's a reason to not do it for my kids, because I'm sure I will at some point, but I just haven't. Not really my thing. I would much rather get a cute candid shot of them out in the snow, one I took myself. Then blow it up or order it for holiday cards (which reminds me...I need to get on that!).

Love the pics above BTW! Good work.

maestra replied: My dh's work has a yearly Christmas party, with games, ponies, food, and Santa. You get to go and see him for free, and they take a polaroid with him. Then they let you take as many pictures as you want. The only problem is, you have to show up early to get in, or be willing to wait a long time. It's a big hospital, so a lot of people with kids come!

My mom works there too, and I remember going to their first Christmas parties when I was 13 or so. Hardly anyone came then. Now it's huge!

Brias3 replied: I've never been too big on the Santa pics. Half the time the kids were terrified anyhow. I like having a few for keepsakes in the photo books, but I always feel as though they never come out that great anyway, and we always do a special Christmas photo for cards, etc. We've made a couple of stops when the kids were younger to see Santa before in various locations (mall, Santa breakfast, vacation hotel, etc.) but don't make a huge deal of Santa pictures typically.

We've walked by him in the mall this year, but Mason is the only one who would be remotely interested and just a walk-by and wave has been good for him