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Courtesy Julia Sommerfeld
Jude (then 1) says: Get me outta here!
There are certain times being a parent can be so...entertaining. Taking the kiddos to take a picture with Santa, for example. We all assume it will be a meeting resulting in wide eyes, hugs, and super-hero admiration. But in so many cases, it's just not.
Take dapper little Jude (son of TODAY.com editor Julia Sommerfeld), shown above. His "get-me-outta-here" expression seems to confound even Santa. We asked for your best "Scared of Santa" photos and were inundated with great pictures. Here's our first sampling. Thanks for sharing and expect to see more in the coming weeks before Christmas. Like TODAY Moms on Facebook to join in our photo fun!
Courtesy Maria Walp
Adam, 7, and Sarah, 3. Hmmm, Santa, who is naughty and who is nice?
Courtesy April James
Shiloh Rose's holiday horror
Courtesy Jennifer Culp
Avery, right, is a little less happy about meeting Santa than brother Tucker is.
Courtesy Erika McGovern
Santa did not make a good impression on Emily, 10 months
Courtesy Melissa Gard
Kennedy, 11 months, says: Make him go away!
Courtesy Maria Carter
Allison, 2, says: Get me off this FatMan''s Lap!
Courtesy Amanda Selke
Brooke tries to make a fast break...
Courtesy Tara Delgado
Mia, 2, says: Help!
Courtesy Sarah Morrisseau
Ashby, 2, wants to go far away...
Courtesy Brooke Stanchey
10-month-old Kate is "scared stiff"
Courtesy Dominique Love
Big sister Jackie (on left) to little sister Jillian: Atleast someone's been good!
Courtesy Christine Shultz
Santa's got a handful with Ryan, 3, and Ellie Grace, 1.
Courtesy Amy Van Brocklin
An unhappy then-16-month old Alison...mom says: Six years later we can all laugh about this.
Courtesy Britany Ek
Twins Ethan and Jacob, 10 months, are split on whether Santa's a nice guy.
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Leave a Comment:
ooo I feel so bad for those Santa's, some of them look down right miserable!
Gave me a good laugh though :)
The twin boys in blue...the one on the left's going..."nice beard dude, did you get this at walmart?"...You can almost tell the one that's gonna play quarterback and which one will play inside linebacker...lol
That one Santa? On the "Season's Greetings!" card with Mia? I'd probably freak out too. Scary 'stache!
OMG....these are soooo funny! I laughed my butt off!
I'm sure Santa is thinking "Hurry up and take the damned picture!"
Buddha bless those Santas.
Who cares about the little gremlin rug burners - the photo-ops are taken to send to Nana and Pop - and for adult family albums.
These little ones look like they will be psychologically scarred for life - tough.
I would love to see a picture of the oh-bah-mah girl's on Santa's lap whining - but - I understand they don't celebrate Christmas.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to know the First Family were really Christians.
I am also laughing my butt off.
Quick question for ya: what in particular would be wrong with a non-Christian president? (Not that we have one, of course.)
why do you have to bring Obama into everything...what a miserable life you must lead...Im a christian ..but I think church is stupid and the bible is just a book...God wrote all he needed to tell me in my heart and in my head...period...You baggers are worthless and I hope (no pray) my God has a special place for you somewhere...seperated from us true believers
What does Obama have to do with this!! Good grief; enough already!!!!
Did you seriously say you'd love to see the president's kids crying? Ha hah wow you are a special kind of messed up.
Carl-nothing wrong with a non-Christian president. Everything wrong with a president who claims to be something then doesn't practice what he preaches, so to speak. Though I fully agree-what the heck does the president have to do with Santa Claus?!? Merry Christmas everyone
Well I don't see how not celebrating Christmas makes one not a Christian? I am a Christian for years, used to do all that stupid hoopla, most of which (Santa Claus?) has nothing to with Christ. After doing a lot of research, my eyes were opened to the actual origins of Christmas - pagan for hundreds of years, kept by the Romans after they were "Christianized" - to allow the public to keep their old holidays was the only way the Emperor Constantine could get them to follow his lead when he became Christian. Voila! A state-mandated religion with phoney holidays... developed into the Catholic Church. Sorry if I step on toes, but I decided to stop being peer-pressured into something that is so consumer-driven in the name of God, not to mention kind of creepy.
Church is not stupid the Bible is not just a book and you praying there is a diff place for others because they think diff then you just proves how backward and not right you are. Merry Christmas
JenniferH: You mean like a president who says, "Read my lips! NO NEW TAXES!"? New taxes was the FIRST thing that George Bush (the first one) did.
Jennifer 883: No you're not. Just a liar.
Really, Please look up bible verses:Hebrews 10:29 and 2 Timothy 3:16.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21
I am not going to bring Politics into this discussion. Knowing you, you would probably say that Obama was born in this country and believe it, even though his parents' divorce papers say the opposite.
What a way to make money!!! I think I will keep my current job!
Loved the first one! Poor man looks more unhappy than the kid!
This is too funny. Yesterday my husband and I were in a mall and we were walking past the Santa spot and the little kid started bawling as soon as she clapped eyes on Santa. He was trying to coax her with a candy cane.
Just what you want, little kids taking candy to go and see a strange man they dont know. Wonder if parents really think these things through?
Why not; parents let kids do that on a little holiday called Halloween.
You're kidding, right? You do know that the majority of people that harm children are people related or close to them in some way, not strangers. Stop puttin down the jolly fat man, Scrooge.
yeaaaahhh. I was smart enough not to try for the Santa thing with a 2 year old. the 1-3 year old crowd almost ALWAYS cries!!! My 4 year old would probably think it was awesome, but I'm still not going to go stand in that enormous line, thanks.
I've had the Xmas blues up until now, but these shots definitely bring on the holiday. 'Tis the season! :)
I was traumatized as youngster by Santa Claus and it has ruined my life. Legislation should be enacted that tightly controls where and when Santa is allowed to be seen. In fact, let's just get rid of him entirely.
Just because you were traumatized by Santa doesn't mean that we all have to suffer as well. Grow up and get over yourself. Enjoy the holidays!
Oh boy. You want to get rid of Santa? Fine, lets do that. Next can we get rid of all the idiots who text and drive? Or drunk drivers? Or people who just aren't pretty enough? Give me a break.
You want to get rid of Santa entirely? OH NO!
Here's a suggestion.Why don't you book a one way ticket to North Korea, they don't have any Santa there.Your problem is solved!
Oh and Merry Christmas!
Methinks Song HJ was just being facetious. Everyone lighten up a bit,
I agree. The north pole needs regime change.
ohhh The big bad Santa is very scary, I always leave out milk and cookies on XMAS Eve and he never ate them/!!!! WHAAAAAAAA
Amen!
If that's the worst trauma you've suffered in life consider yourself blessed!
Merry Christmas!
Why is it funny to see a child in fear?
I don't know why it is, it just is. It's hard to define humor, but it usually when things are juxtaposed in an odd way. In this case, it is the decorations and festivity of the holiday season, and the best intentions of the parents to bring some fun and joy into their child's innocent life, set in a way that went horribly wrong and had the opposite reaction. It is... funny.
Agreed, I wouldn't intentionally frighten my child, but if it accidentally happened I'd definitely keep the photo to show them in a couple years. Ya know, once the emotional trauma had subsided.
Why would anyone allow a child to sit on a strangers lap? Pedophilia in disguise??????
These photos are PRICELESS!
I'm all for kids sitting on Santa's lap w/ a parent nearby. It's magical for most kids. I just don't find it funny to see anyone, especially a child, in sheer fear.
I am horrified that any parent would put their child through this, just to get a picture with Santa. Wait until they are ready! I asked my kids if they wanted to sit on Santa's lap, and if they said "no" I had to respect that. Fearful kids are not funny.
I have sat as Santa at various places for over 30 years. From the very first time, I have refused to let the children be scared of my size, beard or big red suit by encouraging the mother (or grandmother) to either pose alone with Santa or to have the mother sit with the child to try to allay the child's fears. As a general rule, it worked.
Great plan GrampaDoug Santa! I like it!
This was the best thing I've looked at all day! So funny!
So nobody really answered the "elephant in the room" question - what does this Santa Claus character really have to do with Christians - seems like we are getting at least a couple of different holidays tangled up here...
All the Santa haters need to get a grip. Santa is a traditional fixture of Christmas and most of the kids don't freak out. Don't spoil it for the kids that enjoy it. I always figured that the ones who get hysterical over Santa had guilty consciences (my daughter included).
I can not understand for the life of me how seeing children terrified by a stranger is in any way humorous. I think it's child abuse.
Hey, since we are talking Politics, Religion, and Sicko's, I agree with "FlyOverMe! I don't find these pictures funny. I do enjoy a small child with a contagious giggle!
Oh, Merry Xmas, Santa!
My kids won't sit on Santa's lap unless I'm there, so I sit on his lap too. Problem solved (except for poor Santa).
To funny....but the one most always throwing a fit....the Girl..I'm just saying.
santa just looks scary just saying he looks like someone who dosn't bathe on a regular basis have you ever sat on santa lap when hes drunk when I was a kid I never knew what that funny smell was have you herd of santa purging what they ate on kids thank god I was never one of them and I just hate santa and he looks like a hobo of the glorified variety