How to Prepare Your Kids for Pictures with Santa

Pictures with Santa are one of those holiday traditions that sound simple enough: dress everyone in something cute, visit Santa, smile for the camera, and voilà—Christmas card material.

And then you add kids. 😂

Maybe your toddler takes one look at Santa and decides absolutely not. Maybe your normally outgoing five-year-old suddenly gets shy. Or maybe your baby is perfectly happy but has zero interest in looking anywhere near the camera.

All of that is completely normal!

After photographing lots of little ones over the years, I’ve learned that the best pictures with Santa usually happen when parents prepare their kids for what to expect without putting too much pressure on them to perform.

Here are a few things you can do before your Santa session to make the experience easier for everyone.

1. Talk About Santa Before Your Session

For adults, we know exactly what we’re walking into. For a young child, Santa can be a pretty strange concept.

They’re entering a new place, meeting a very unfamiliar man with a giant white beard, and then everyone suddenly expects them to sit next to him and smile.

That’s a lot!

In the days leading up to your pictures with Santa, talk about what will happen. You can show your child photos of Santa, read Christmas books featuring him, or look at pictures from previous years.

Keep it casual and positive.

Something as simple as, “We’re going to visit Santa! You can tell him what you want for Christmas, and Kate is going to take some pictures while we’re there,” gives them an idea of what to expect.

2. Don’t Promise That They Have to Sit on Santa’s Lap

This is a big one.

Your child does not have to sit on Santa’s lap for us to create adorable pictures with Santa.

If they’re hesitant, we’ll give them some space.

They might stand beside Santa. They might sit nearby. Mom or Dad might need to stay close at first. Sometimes kids are perfectly happy interacting with Santa as long as nobody tries to immediately place them on his lap.

Giving children a little control over the interaction can make the entire experience feel much less intimidating.

And sometimes, after they’ve had a minute to realize Santa isn’t so scary, they’ll warm up completely.

3. Try Not to Put Too Much Pressure on Them

I know how tempting it is.

“We only have a few minutes, PLEASE just smile.”

We’ve all been there. 😂

But telling kids over and over that they need to behave, smile, or “be good for Santa” can accidentally turn something fun into something stressful before we’ve even started.

Instead, tell them you’re going to visit Santa and have some fun.

That’s it.

Once you’re there, let me worry about getting their attention and creating the photographs. You don’t need to stand behind me yelling their name or telling them to smile every five seconds.

Sometimes the sweetest pictures with Santa aren’t perfectly posed anyway.

4. Schedule Around Naps and Meals When You Can

If you have babies or toddlers, timing matters.

A hungry two-year-old who skipped their nap probably isn’t going to suddenly become cheerful because Santa is there.

When choosing your session time, try to work around your child’s normal schedule whenever possible. Make sure they’ve eaten beforehand, and bring a small, non-messy snack if you think they’ll need one.

For babies, feeding them shortly before your session can also help make sure they’re comfortable and content.

Of course, kids are kids and sometimes they have an off day no matter how perfectly you’ve planned. That’s okay, too.

5. Let Shy Kids Warm Up

Some kids will run straight to Santa.

Others are going to walk in, see him, and immediately attach themselves to your leg.

Both are normal.

If your child is shy, don’t panic. Give them a moment to take everything in.

We may start with your child farther away from Santa and slowly work our way closer. We can let them talk to him before worrying about photographs. Sometimes simply seeing a sibling interact with Santa first is enough to make them feel more comfortable.

I would much rather spend a minute helping your child feel safe than immediately force an interaction they’re scared of.

6. Be Realistic About Babies

If you’re bringing a baby for their first pictures with Santa, remember that babies don’t always smile on command—or even look at the camera.

And that’s okay!

Depending on their age, we may get smiles. We may get a very serious stare. We may get complete confusion over Santa’s beard.

Honestly, they’re all pretty great memories.

The goal isn’t necessarily a perfectly smiling baby. It’s documenting their first Christmases and how tiny they were sitting beside Santa.

7. Don’t Panic If They Cry

Yep. I’m saying it.

Your kid might cry.

Santa can be terrifying when you’re two. 😂

Obviously, we’re never going to intentionally upset a child for a photograph. But if there are a few tears when they first see Santa, don’t immediately assume the session is ruined.

Sometimes kids warm up after a minute.

And sometimes they don’t.

If your child truly isn’t comfortable, we’ll adjust. There are still ways to document the experience without forcing them into something they’re scared of.

And honestly? A classic crying-with-Santa picture has become a childhood rite of passage for a reason.

8. Let Santa and Your Photographer Take the Lead

Once you arrive, you don’t need to orchestrate everything.

Actually, things often go better when parents aren’t trying to direct every interaction.

Let Santa talk to your child. Let me work on getting their attention. You can stay close and be reassuring, but you don’t need to worry about whether they’re standing in exactly the right spot or looking at the camera every second.

My goal isn’t just to get one photograph of everyone staring at me and smiling.

I want to capture the experience, too.

That might mean your child telling Santa what they want for Christmas, Santa making them laugh, siblings interacting together, or your little one studying that giant white beard.

Those moments are what make pictures with Santa so much fun.

Pictures With Santa in Central Pennsylvania

If you’re looking for pictures with Santa in Central PA, Kate McCord Photography offers a limited number of Santa mini sessions during the holiday season.

Families travel from York, Harrisburg, Hershey, Mechanicsburg, and surrounding Central Pennsylvania areas for our Christmas sessions each year.

Santa sessions are designed to be a fun, relaxed way for kids to interact with Santa while I capture both traditional portraits and those sweet little in-between moments.

Because sessions are limited and Christmas photography dates tend to fill quickly, I recommend booking your pictures with Santa early so you have plenty of time to receive your photographs before the holidays.

Most importantly, come ready to let your kids be themselves.

Whether they’re immediately Santa’s biggest fan, need a few minutes to warm up, or give us the most dramatically suspicious Santa stare imaginable, we’re documenting a little piece of their childhood—and that’s the part you’ll want to remember.