Baby's first photo with Santa
My mother-in-law keeps mentioning getting baby's first Christmas photo with Santa, but I just don't feel it's the right environment for baby?
She forgets that her son's first Christmas, he was 10 months old... My little one is only 3 months and hasn't had all his jabs yet. I feel like Santa's grotto would just be a hive of germs with all the kids passing through, and I don't want him to get sick.
I would like a nice photo of him with Santa for his first Christmas, don't get me wrong, but I just don't feel it's worth the risk?
Anyone have any ideas as an alternative? I mean I could attempt to order a Santa costume and get a family member to dress up, but that just seems like a pain š I know I could just do a little photoshoot in the house with no Santa, but it's not quite the same?
I don't know... Maybe I'm being over protective but that's just how I feel. Anyone in a similar boat?
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totally valid worry, iām having it with my 7mo! babies get sick easy and bigger kids are nasty lil walking germ factories. thatās a factš¤·š¼āāļø
My son was 2.5 months his first Christmas. I'm holding him and we're just standing beside Santa.
Some places you book a time to have your photo taken with Santa.
You could just dress baby up as Santa!
We got one with my 6m old we held baby and just sat beside Santa for the photo however he saw Santa and just started crying I think he was scared of it tbh
My little boy was about 6 weeks weāve we went to see Santa and slept the whole time, the photo was cute and it was nice to have that memory and for us, even though he didnāt have a clue! Itās up to you. We went to a smaller garden centre so it wasnāt overly crowded or busy but there is no point in doing something you arenāt comfortable with x
Mine was about 3 weeks old when we saw Santa. I was also concerned about germs with her being a newborn, but I just held her the entire time and sat beside him. I felt like it was safe enough as long as she mostly stayed in the stroller or in our arms, she never actually touched anyone or anything.
You do what you are comfortable with though. It's your choice, not your MIL's. š
Most Santa's aren't allowed to touch the kids these days anyway so you hold them the whole time!
I know a lot of people see this as a milestone to do the first chance they get, so I will offer a different perspective.
My daughter is 4. She met Santa for the first time last year when she was 3. She was a little scared and didn't want a photo. This year she met him once and we have it planned to meet him again and so far she doesn't want a photo either, although she likes meeting him and waves and smiles etc when she sees him.
At some point she will want it and we will take the photo. I am not jumping on the consent trend here (although, valid), but when it happens she will be old enough to remember and it will be her own memory caught in a photograph. AND her immune system will be more developed, as a bonus.
Ultimately it's your decision, you really shouldn't feel the pressure from anyone on when and how to have this and anything else happening for the first time.
My son wonāt be doing this until later in life. Itās not a milestone, I donāt want it as a memory and I donāt think itās worth risking a serious illness over for the sake of a photo.
Definitely up to you and your preferences! With my first child we avoided taking him inside anywhere for 2 months except the pediatricianās office, but that was still Covid times. My youngest went on her first trip with us (by car) at less than 12 weeks old š we get all recommended vaccines in our family and no one is immunocompromised so weāre not especially avoidant of being around other people although we also donāt let people kiss babies and make sure we wash hands and all that.
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