Ohhhhh, the pain … of pandemic distancing? Well, when you look back at some scary Santa experiences, you start to think, uh, not so much. The pandemic may have spared some kids a lifetime of PTSD flashbacks of Beelzebub cloaked in ol’ Saint Nick garb and merriment.
Ho, ho, hoooooo NO! But, who would have it any other way? It’s that obligatory annual holiday photo that at least once goes awry. Sometimes just one kid sees a red-coated Beelzebub and the other sees that saint. Other times it’s just that only child’s misery and, OK, amusement of well-intentioned parents who have spent half the day picking out an outfit and proper pose. Yet again, other times both just crumble at the sight of sphere of supposed bearded jolly.
Whatever way you look at it, it’s the giving season, alright, and, at the very least, looking back at these moments of a special blend of humorous misery are a gift. You just have to admit that they really put a smile on your face and a little chuckle in the heart.
Sadistic? Na! They’re classic. They never disappoint in that department. And that’s a little gift for which you don’t need to shop. When the kids get older, they also have a classic to smile over and spread the laughs in between bad Santa flashbacks.
In the case of the one trifecta of Santa slaying (all three are miserable, including a questionable Saint Nick), the mom who submitted this classic from 2010 a few years ago to us, couldn’t have said it better.
Bernadette Harris’ not-quite-2-year-old twins had made a visit to Santa at Monmouth Mall. The twins, Jemma (left) and Natalie (right) are having none of any sort of holiday cheer in this shot. And, well, Santa may be even more miserable or questionable than the twins. Poor little Natalie looks like she’s in a bit of an Oedipus moment here — poised to pluck the eye out as it offends. It was just too much of a classic to get Grinchy over.
Mom says so herself. “It’s my favorite Santa pic ever,” Harris said. “You can’t tell who is more unhappy — them or Santa. It was only 10 seconds captured forever!”
Santa, kids, you sleigh us! Merry Christmas, all! Smile and stay safe!
Photos/courtesy of the Clark, Harris, Connor-Kelly and families
- Prosecutor: Human Remains Unearthed at Construction Site; ‘No Foul Play’
- Prosecutor: Area Man Gets 30 Years for Killing Father, Desecrating Remains
- In Memoriam: Former Fair Haven, Little Silver Resident, 1945 RBR Grad, Elaine Inman Pope, 97
- Retro RFH Baseball Tackle Time
- Police Report: Burglary, Drugs, Theft, Assault by Auto, DUIs, Unlawful Weapons Possession, Terroristic Threats, Tobacco Sales to Underaged
You must be logged in to post a comment.