This year we visited nine* Santas for Christmas (I had wanted to do 12 but had trouble finding enough Santa-viewing opportunities). Mall Santas now charge $20 or more for photos, so instead Dev and I sought out all the free Santas in Los Angeles.
Top row, left: Our first Santa of the year, at UMe Credit Union in Burbank as part of a Christmas celebration in Magnolia Park. This was our longest wait - more than an hour in line - but both kids were cheerful. The credit union also gave out free caramel apples.
Top row, middle: Our only paid Santa, at the Americana shopping mall.
Top row, right: This was our last and favorite Santa, one of our neighbors who has been dressing up like Santa every Christmas for 15 years. He sets up a seating area with photography lights and stands in his front yard. His whole family was there with him and they had cookies and coffee and cider and a lot of the other neighbors brought food, too. Beatrice loved talking to him, she didn't want to leave. I think Arthur was only crying because this came immediately after the animatronic Santa incident (see below).
Second row, left: Santa visited Arthur's baby school for their year-end class party.
Second row, right: In the food court of the Burbank Town Center mall, as part of the Santa Breakfast put on by Burbank Parks and Recreation.
Bottow row, left: Atwater Village community tree-lighting event.
Arthur does puzzles while waiting in line.
Bottow row, middle: Burbank community tree-lighting event. Another long wait, this time in the rain (note how wet Arthur's hair is).
Jugglers in downtown Burbank.
Bottom row, right: The animatronic Santa outside of a local business. We thought it was just a Santa statue until it sprang suddenly to life, singing and wiggling around. I have never seen Arthur more terrified, he seemed to even forget how to walk and tried to crawl away, screaming.
I'd say we spent about five hours total waiting in lines for this card, and with the exception of Arthur's breakdown in the face of the animatronic Santa, the kids were in high spirits throughout. While sitting on the lap of her ninth Santa Beatrice said cheerfully, "Hi Santa! I see you a lot!"
* But we were only able to get eight photos. The Burbank Library Santa distributed gifts and candy but didn't sit for photos.
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