The annual trip to see Santa should be a joyous tradition for families with young children. Except for the crying and the abject terror that most 1 year olds experience when plopped down on the jolly one’s lap, the magic of our children (or grandchildren) telling Santa their dearest wish, being handed a candy cane and smiling for an adorable picture is one of our most treasured Christmas traditions.
When I was a child, Mom and Dad would take us to the town square. Santa would sit in his little house, we would line up, and one by one, sit on his lap and recite our wish list (in order of preference of course). Mom and Dad would be nearby - most likely listening in - and when we were finished, Santa’s elf handed over a candy cane. There certainly wasn’t a professional photographer, the wait time was minutes - not hours - and we were never ever told that Santa did not have time to see us.
When our kids were little, the visit to see Santa was a trip downtown (Chicago) to see Santa at the Cozy Cloud Cottage in Marshall Fields. We made an entire day of it - my parents would come in for the weekend, we would start our day with lunch by the giant Christmas tree at the Walnut Room with a visit from the Fairy Princess (fairy dust and all), then off to sit on Santa’s lap while Mom and Dad took pictures - later to be developed and placed in an album for posterity. After the much anticipated Santa visit, we would walk a few blocks to FAO Schwarz toy store to try out all of the new toy displays and bask in the magic of Christmas instilled in the hearts of our children. We all looked forward to this annual Christmas outing - the kids loved the fairy princess, they prepared their list for the “real” Santa, my dad looked forward to taking home his annual Santa Bear mug, and we loved watching the excitement on the kids’ faces. There was never a possibility that Santa would be “too busy” to spend time with them. 
Having two 1 year old grandsons, who made Christmas so much fun this year, I have realized how seeing Santa has changed - and not for the better. Working parents, who only have weekends free, face long lines at best, for some, Santa is “booked” 10 minutes after the doors open and he’s “too busy” to see the kids. Many mall Santas take reservations for a price. Forget taking pictures of your children. If you want a snap of your little one sitting on St. Nick’s lap, you can buy their mediocre photo at a steep price, as if Christmas isn’t setting back these young families enough.
After witnessing the aggravation of the Santa visit for the first Christmas, I decided there’s “more than one way to skin a cat”. We had a private visit from Santa (my husband) at the house on Christmas Eve. The suit was borrowed and Santa had a blast playing his role. Problem solved. Dominic wasn’t a fan (his first encounter) and Carson was already a pro, having seen Santa earlier in the season.
The department store Santas, the decorated Marshall Field’s (now Macy’s) windows at Christmas, the fairy princess at the Walnut Room - these were always give-backs to loyal customers at Christmas, not to mention a draw for people to come to the store. Do we really have to pay for a visit or a photo? Is it really necessary for parents to make an appointment to see the big guy? These young families are spending money at your stores - let their kids see Santa and take a photo. 
Being retired, I am lucky to have time to research Santa events, best Christmas lights, other Christmas events - you know, the really important things. One website I found helpful was santainchicago.com. If you live in the Chicago area, check it out. It’s bookmarked on my laptop, all ready for next year. There you will find information on Christmas events for you and your kids/grandkids including free ones. One of our favorites this year was The Polar Express - not free of course - but worth every penny. It’s definitely something we would repeat. The adults loved it and the kids loved it. It’s a magical Christmas event you can do with little ones who aren’t yet walking as well as toddlers and older children. Each child gets a silver bell by Santa himself!
Hopefully with some backlash from those of us who refuse to succumb to the commercialization of Christmas, the pendulum will shift back to a more positive flow to a simpler, more magical Christmas we all remember.
