So, I was Santa at work today. It was pretty awesome, although I had at least 8 kids go into SCREAMING bloody murder fits when their parents put them on my lap, or even moved towards me.

Some just said, “Take the picture quick” and one mother/grandmother put her child/grandchild through like 45 minutes of torture because the kid didn't want to come near me and so the parent would try and bribe her, tell her it was alright, and eventually started berating the child for not sitting on Santa's lap. The kid was in hysterics the whole time. Tears streaming down her face and she was physically shaking with terror at this giant mass of red and fur (which would be me). I mean really at some point you just have to cut your losses and just leave without a picture. The lady then tried some sort of sneak attack Santa drop off by walking away with the child and coming around the back, when the kid found herself within *GASP* arms reach of this grinning Devil with Candy Canes she nearly exploded in anguish and horror. Eventually the lady got the picture that this wasn't going down and left (actually it was towards the end of the run, so I wouldn't have been surprised to see another attempt from the lady to further traumatize her kid.)

Why?

I mean yeah the two year olds who start crying or the babies who are suddenly thrust into a strangers arms and react accordingly just snap the picture and go. The kid calms down once returned to their mother or father and the parents get their picture to show to everyone forever. But when the kid is like 3-4 and still ain't having nothing to do with the S-man, just leave them be. Some kids just needed some talking and then they'd sheepishly advance, or when they saw I had candy they came over and stood for their snapshot, and that sort of persuasion is fine, but I can't help but think this kid is going to HATE Santa forever because her mom/gramma wouldn't let it go.

Is the overall psychological welfare of your child really worth a picture of their screaming tear lined face? Maybe I'm just used to being that kid who didn't want to play ball and get their picture taken with a weirdo who breaks into my house at night leaving gifts.

I even heard some parents trying to scare their kids into sitting with me. Good message people. See this man? HE CONTROLS ALL THE JOY IN YOUR LIFE OBEY US!

It was fun, but it's interesting to see how parents treat their kids, and how abnormal some of them behave all in the name of tradition.