Me on the left, kicking back Carol Brady style.
For years and years parents have been getting ripped off at the Shopping Centre around this time. I am talking about the Santa Photo. It is a crackingly big business, fueled by parent guilt and Joneses Keeping Up With Syndrome.
Here is the thing. You get up really early on the weekend and wash your kids faces before getting into the car and driving around the car park for an eternity, stalking people as they return to their cars.
"Are you going?" you plea helplessly.
Lady with bags at her car shakes her head. You smile tightly and utter "Fuck You" under your breath and proceed stalking. If you ever do manage to get a park, you get to line up with dozens of other families and watch in horror as tantrum after tantrum unfolds. I know this because I had a Santa Tanty kid for years. Then you get 7 seconds with a crappy Santa who is over the whole thing more than you are. THEN you get to fork out a weeks wages for some photos which may or may not be good. And the best bit? The photos contain advertising for that particular shopping centre!
This year I am not having a bar of it. The kids have not cottoned and with just 2 weeks to go, opportunities to do so are diminishing fast. The kids have not asked and I have not offered it up. But I laugh at the families lining up for hours. Oh how I laugh! Suckers......
But I had a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. I should do SOMETHING I suppose. And then I came across the perfect solution for half-assed parenting when it comes to Santa photos and your kids.
It is free, it took 1 minute and you can re-create it yourself here. It is totally lame and lazy and I love it.
Now with the money you have saved go and get yourself a facial or a massage.
You are welcome!
