I love the holiday season. I love everything about it. Twinkling lights, Christmas music, cookies, tinsel, egg nog — I literally and figuratively eat it all up.

So OF COURSE I take my children for an annual photo with Santa. Duh. We get dressed up, I talk it up like we’re going to see the Pope, and I have anxiety the entire day hoping and praying that it goes well.

But guys, I gotta be honest here. My dream since having kids isn’t the picturesque, happy baby smiling with Santa photo. No. Everyone and their cousin has one of those. I want this:

http://wellcommons.com/users/photos/2013/dec/19/266267/

Yes, I know. I’m a horrible person. This is my dear friend’s daughter. Every Christmas she delivers an epicly awesome Santa photo. And I ooze jealousy. I look forward to seeing it every year. It always has a good story and brings on a good chuckle. I love this little girl. She’s incredibly smart, sassy, and adorable. What did she do this year? This:

http://wellcommons.com/users/photos/2013/dec/19/266268/

Apparently she hollered at him that she wanted a Barbie from over there. HILARIOUS.

Our Santa visits have been pretty uneventful, meaning picturesque. Hmphf. This was our first year:

http://wellcommons.com/users/photos/2013/dec/19/266269/

The next year, the Santa wouldn’t let us take the photo until HJ was smiling because he was sure that’s what we wanted. Turns out there’s no non-awkward way to tell Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick that a crying photo would actually be pretty darn hysterical.

We went to create some special Santa photo magic this week. While they didn’t cry their eyes out, I’m still pretty pleased with our results.

http://wellcommons.com/users/photos/2013/dec/19/266265/

They went with awkward bewilderment. I like it.

Which Santa photo camp are you in? Smiley, screaming bloody murder, or all-around awkward?