I loved visiting Santa Claus at Santa land because it is such as magical experience any person of any age should enjoy at Christmas time.
According to a mother who took her child to see Santa because that is part of the tradition as parents, there are boundaries because parents teach children physical boundaries about touching and limits unless, we are paying $25 to get a picture taken with them sitting on a stranger because parents teach their children not to talk to strangers. Most moms have seen that their children do not want to it on the lap of Santa Claus so they have tried alternative moves such as high fives and fists bumps. As with most things, giving children an option to do whatever they are comfortable with takes the pressure off and makes Santa Claus more about Christmas magic and less about terror. { I won’t make my kids sit on Santa’s lap. Why we should all stop this outdated trend Alexandra Frost December 12, 2022}
I must have been between somewhere my late teens and early 20’s when I was decided to visit Santa land. It was just so nice to stand in the line of humanity dressed in Christmas colors of red, green and gold. Families, couples of all ages and a mere stranger, myself, becoming a part an arcade of a magical merriment to enter a winter wonderland of Santy Claus who we couldn’t wait to see.
Children loved ringing the tiny golden bell to enter the musical railroad a decorated in fantastical schemes which started with a talking tree with a warm smile and welcoming eyes and there was not a terrifying moment about it and we entered a Winter wonderland. The children could not stay in their place in line waiting too long, they wanted to dance with the dancing penguins, talk to the working elves, see the snowman, see the many animals dressed in colorful clothing and their many animations were really breathtaking!
Seeing Santy Claus was a delightful moment because the anticipation was so well done. The children were encouraged to get ready – not for the photographs which were explained beforehand and I never took one, I took their free pins instead- but with their own Christmas list and gifts for Santy Claus himself. Not just cookies and hot cocoa but coffee and actual presents that the children were anxiously waiting to give. I found this reverse of giving gifting really heartwarming, I daresay an improvement. I never once saw a crying child or a terrified one at that. Just annoyed boyfriends who did not seem to understand their girlfriend’s enthusiasm. I myself had a 5 page letter that I had written and read to him sitting on his lap – every child sat on Santy’s lap and years later, I went back with cookies too.
Santa Claus is not a stranger a child meets but a universal character like Mickey Mouse and the Easter Bunny. If a child is going to be prepared to see Santa Claus – there are so many movies such as Santa Claus is coming to town, The Polar Express, The Santa Claus series, Frosty the Snowman and Miracle on 34th Street and music that goes with it such as Santa is Coming to Town to explain to children, who Santa Claus is as a character and how he is connected to Christmas and its magic. Furthermore, the child will not be alone with Santa Claus so a parent should at least be able to fuel a child’s imagination for that particular moment and encourage wishful thinking.
And if a child can not be made comfortable seeing Santa Claus because sitting on a lap seems offensive – perhaps rethink about spending time trick or treating when Halloween comes along -because children visit stranger’s home with their parents and take candies from strangers and people they know disguised as someone else which can be trickier and indeed scarier.
