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Four-year-old denied Santa visit
When Maria Grigorian took her four-year-old daughter Michele to a mall in Massachusetts to see Santa, she was told
that she would have to pay for a photo package before seeing Santa. Grigorian, a single mom, said she didn't have the
money for a photo and the staff told her that Michele would not be allowed to sit on Santa's lap. Grigorian and her
daughter left, the 4-year-old in tears. "I was heartbroken, totally heartbroken," Grigorian told her local news
station, after seeing her daughter so upset.
The mall has since issued an apology, stating that their policy says that kids are always welcome to sit on Santa's
lap for free. I'm glad to see this is in the news. I've always thought the mall Santa thing was kind of a racket. If
most malls technically have a policy that kids can sit with Santa for free, without getting a photo, they sure
don't make it known to parents. [Thanks to Eden for the news
tip.]
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
12-18-2005 @ 6:55PM
charmless said...You are right... they don't. That is the policy here as well- Sitting is FREE but the pictures will set you back a dollar or so.
Reply
12-18-2005 @ 6:55PM
Courtney said...Oh, well let me tell you.... We were at the mall today. My 3 year old, Beckett, wanted to see Santa so bad.... All week long he has been talking about it. Well upon entering the Santa enter line, one of Santa's "Elves" came up and said that the cheapest package was $19.99. What? For some crappy digital photo that I can take better myself! Well anyway, I said "No thank you, I have my own camera." Her response "Well we ask that you make a minimum payment donation if you would like to take a photo." I replied "I'm sorry that is a little out of my budget." (We are a single income family of 4 boys, mom and dad.) So she just let me go through.... So my 2 youngest are about to sit on Santa's lap and out of no where comes Santa's pyscho elf! "FOR FUTURE REFERNCE IT IS AGAINST SIMON MALL PROCEDURE TO TAKE A PHOTO WITHOUT A MINIMUM PURCHASE.... AND IF A SECURITY GUARD WAS AROUND YOU WOULD GET IN TROUBLE FOR USING FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE MALL, THAT IS ALSO AGAINST MALL PROCEDURE!" So I am thinking, what happened to just getting to see Santa. I am not a cheap person and this year is probably the first year I have not purchased the "mall photo", butthis year the budget is tight and I did not think that my child had to go without a photo with Santa because of "mall procedure". This has really left me with a sore taste in my mouth!
My 3 year old's first "real" sit on Santa's lap and I missed it because of this CRAZED ELF! I did not even get to hear what he told Santa he wanted! I missed it all... And it was the baby's first sit on Santa's lap AT ALL! I feel so cheated! Is this how it is everywhere? What happened to holiday spirit and happy elves? Where has Christmas gone????
Reply
12-18-2005 @ 6:55PM
Uncle Roger said...The last couple of years, one of the malls around here not only lets kids sit for free, they don't mind if you take your own pictures. Last year, I took pictures (I have a great camera) of my niece and nephew AND their parents bought a package.
Mind you, they don't actually encourage people to take pictures on their own or advertise that you can, but they didn't mind at all when I asked.
In reality, the whole santa thing should be paid for by the mall as part of their holiday marketing. The photo scam should just be an added service. Anyone remember "Miracle on 34th Street"?
Reply
12-18-2005 @ 6:55PM
dlbs said...I've never had a problem with our mall in this area (Silicon Valley). For the past couple of years, I would take my daugher (now 3 1/2) to visit Santa and say hi just so she could get used to him before I asked that she sit on his lap. We also have done the dry-run of sitting on the lap without the picture just to help her through her anxiety. The "elves" and Santa have always been very understanding and accomodating. They even gave her a treat everytime we were there.
Reply
12-18-2005 @ 6:55PM
suburban misfit said...It's not like that where we go. We're allowed to use our own cameras (but truth be told, most parents don't even think about it so they're kind of stuck buying the professional ones) and the kids can sit on Santa's lap without any donation or anything.
Reply
12-18-2005 @ 6:55PM
Ann Adams said...Our Mall is fine with Santa - they allow a group shot if I want to buy the picture so I don't have to buy three and they are very gentle with Elcie. They're also okay with no purchase at all. I've never tried to do my own - just didn't think about it. Of course it's a small Mall in a relatively small city. That may make a difference.
Our local Albertson's has free Santa pictures. No purchase necessary, just an employee in a Santa hat. They take them to the one hour photo service at the Walgreens next door. Maybe this year they'll have digital.
I'm sure they hope people stay and shop while they're waiting but there's no pressure at all - just a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.
The doctors at the hospital put on a party each year with goodies, stocking stuffers, and Santa. Santa comes down our street on a fire truck (throwing candy) as well as showing up in a parade (day after tomorrow). Very busy person.
Reply
12-18-2005 @ 6:55PM
ordinary girl said...I live on Long Island and you are only allowed to use your personal camera after a "minimum" purchase. The minimum at the mall here was $19.99. We went home to Raleigh, NC for Thanksgiving and that mall had the same "minimum" payment requirement only their minimum was only $10.99. I'm just not feeling the Holiday Spirit when it comes to Santa now-a-days. So Bogus.
Reply