The Santa Baby mystery has been solved.

When Bill and Tara Vereen took notice in Monday’s Journal-World of an unidentified mystery Christmas baby, they immediately knew the child. It was their 6-year-old son, Drew.

“We just couldn’t believe it,” Tara Vereen said. “We were so tickled and excited to see the photo and the story.”

The family read the story of how another Lawrence family, the Travers, accidentally received the snapshot of an unknown baby dressed in a Santa Claus outfit.

Sisters Lisa and Kay Traver said the picture of the Santa baby had become a holiday tradition in their home — they have put up the photo with all their other holiday decorations for about six years.

“We’re still going to call him ‘Santa Baby,'” Lisa Traver said. “But now it will be ‘Santa Baby Drew’ instead of ‘Random Santa Baby.'”

The families brought together by a film processor’s mistake met Tuesday. The Travers brought Drew a gift, which was a ball that lights up when you bounce it off hard surfaces.

Drew said seeing the snapshot in the newspaper was exciting. He took the photo to Raintree Montessori School, where he is a student. Next year, he will attend Quail Run School.

“I thought it was funny,” he said.

Sisters Lisa, left, and Kay Traver give a Christmas present to Drew Vereen, 6. The sisters mistakenly received a photo of Drew dressed as Santa six years ago, and had made a holiday ritual out of displaying the picture of their Random

Lisa and Kay Traver walked to the Vereens’ house, which they discovered was just three blocks away from them. Tara Vereen said they moved into their home in the 1300 block of Pinehurst Circle just two years ago.

While together, Tara Vereen pointed out that she still had the Santa Claus suit Drew wore in the photo but now put it on a doll.

“It was too cute,” she said. “I couldn’t part with it.”

The families talked about how Drew and his 3-year-old brother, James, likely trick-or-treated at the Travers’ home.

“I almost knocked on your door a couple of times to find out the types of plants and flowers you have in your yard,” Kay Traver said while talking with Tara Vereen.

Lisa Traver said her family never expected to find out the identity of the baby in the photo. She said they thought it was possible the child didn’t live in Lawrence.

Holiday tradition born from found photo of jolly young elf (12-13-04)

“It was the holiday season and lots of people get their film processed when we got the photo,” Lisa Traver said. “So, what are the odds that six years later this would happen?”

Tara Vereen said the incident showed what a small community Lawrence is.

“I can tell they are kindred spirits,” she said of the Travers. “I would do the same thing as them had I been in their position. I just hope knowing who the baby is doesn’t ruin the excitement for them.”

The Travers said they still would put up the picture every year.