Jews on Santa’s lap.

by

Screen Shot 2015-11-12 at 4.30.32 AM

 

In the second batch of photos we received of our daughter (about 8 days after she was born) she was in Santa’s arms.

Sure as Jews we found this a little funny, but coupled with the fact she seemed to be sleeping whilst holding up her little finger as if to say I’m number one!! we somehow decided the entire thing was hilarious.

And a tradition was born.

A tradition that most likely would never have been launched without that photo sent from Guatemala.

Like many Jewtemalans and their CrAzY mothers families she and I take a picture with Santa each year.

Unlike some families, however, there exist a few rules.

First, We cannot plan or prepare for the Santa photo.

No hair brushing. No proper apparel. Always spontaneous.

Second, except for two Christmases we didn’t live here, the Santa photo must be taken at a specific Austin mall.

(a corollary to this is we spend hours afterward at the food court debating if it was the same Santa as previous years.)

One year she insisted, while wearing her pajamas as a dress, it was definitely time take the photo:

Screen Shot 2015-11-12 at 4.33.12 AM

 

Absolutely no idea what we’d been planning to do this day before she spontaneously announced it was Santa time!

Movie at the mall perhaps?

Screen Shot 2015-11-12 at 4.36.00 AM

 

This was the Holiday of the Bad Bangs Experience (those suckers took ages to grow out.).

Thankfully she was 4 (and apparently really happy to see Santa) so she didn’t care…

new santa

 

She was about two years old in this photo and we were most definitely at the mall just killing time.

I was not yet confident in my mothering abilities or, apparently, my ability to shove my Jewish glutes onto Santa’s lap.

I love how I’m wearing my diaper bag backpack IN the photo and she’s wearing her wait what? I have no idea what’s happening here! expression.

rsz_scan_7

 

Post-soccer game.

Pre-food court snack.

Back in the DAY when Austin was warm in the winter.

rsz_soccer

 

This picture is one of my favorites because of the back story and because it simply looks so awkward.

Oakland, California. Petco. Post Doodle-Grooming.

The (finger quote) Santa (unF.Q.) neither looked like Father Christmas nor seemed to want to be there.

This one was all the child’s idea. Charming and I were none too enthused.

Screen Shot 2015-11-12 at 4.28.51 AM

 

Another Oakland year.

The picture looks “normal.” The experience was anything but.

(I think I was mainly excited she made Spontaneous Santa Day one where I could photo document the fact I DO sometimes wear real clothes.)

Screen Shot 2015-11-24 at 4.41.58 AM

 

And then there’s this one.

Just a few days ago.

My favorite, favorite one yet and one which gives me hope our tradition will continue as she grows up.

I’m still not certain which of us is Rory and which is Lorelai (can we both be Lorelai?!) but I hold my breath each season and wonder if this is the one she’ll either not suggest we do photos or will say NO when I make the suggestion.

For one more year at least our Spontaneous Santa tradition continues.

This year (same mall. definitely different Santa) was perhaps the oddest one yet.

Her idea.

Freshly hennaed hands.

Santa whispering to us how his wife, Mrs. Claus, is Jewish and is nudging him to change his name to Joe Hanukkah.

Photographer shouting: SILLY ONE! as we sat down (check out Santa’s hands) and being utterly shocked when this is the photo we actually chose to purchase:

rsz_xmas_2015

Today, not for the first time, I wish blogs allowed for photo-comments.

I’d love to see images of your oddest, happiest, messiest, silliest, CHRISTMASiest experience with Santa in the comments below.

<3

POSTS BY EMAIL

Never miss a post. Enter your email to get my latest posts delivered to your inbox.

Comments

  1. I absolutely love this so much because it’s so similar to what I do with the boys. It started the very first time they had a photo with Santa. I had them dressed in identical track suits, just different colors, and they had long hair. I thought they would freak at the sight of Santa so I didn’t bother to dress them “appropriately.” Nope. They hopped right up onto his lap and it’s the most ridiculous Santa pic but my absolute favorite!! Since then, no dressing up and total Santa spontaneity and always at the mall!!!
    Did I tell you how much I love this?

  4. Christmas, Hannukah, and the Holiday season should be about love, laughter, and happiness, and spreading that to everyone that you can (thus my post today). I think you’ve accomplished that mission! More Jews need to have a sit down with Santa!

  6. I love this tradition! The photos are fantastic, and each one embodies so much about where you were (metaphorically) every year.

  8. haha i love this! on sunday we’re going to this chanukah event where, if it’s like last year, they will have a giant dreidel dressed up for pictures…. lol

  10. This is so awesome! <3 <3 <3

    I don't remember much about sitting on Santa's lap when I was a kid, but when my sister was a baby, she made front page of the local paper—she's screaming on Santa's lap and he just looks so tired in the photo. It's hilarious, we still have the front page of that paper and I think it was even hanging up on the wall throughout most of my childhood… (my parents have a funny sense of humor, ha!)

  19. Our best was from one of the times Bigger Girl was Santa’s Elf Assistant for photos at the pet store, a fundraiser for the cat shelter. During a down time, my kids hopped in for their own pic with the Jolly Old Elf. We stuck it in a “Santa’s Favorite Pet!” picture frame, and cherish it.

  21. Oh. My. This is the most adorable tradition ever, and I hope it continues for as long as you both wish it to!!! I only remember seeing one photo of me with Santa…and I don’t remember taking any with a Santa!

  22. I found you through marontherun & when you mentioned a Hannukah 5k, I just knew I had to visit you. 🙂

    And then you’re in Austin! We lived there for 17 years & miss it like crazy, even if we enjoy our summers here (upstate NY) and have decided we probably don’t want to retire there as we thought we would.

    Nope, no photos with Santa. But we would go to see Santa when he came around the neighborhood in a firetruck.

Trackbacks

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This