I just returned from the Colorado Mills Mall.
I took my kids to see Santa and I ended up in an altercation with Head Elf Cheryl. I saw their little sign that kindly requested that I not take pictures of MY children and instead, pay $23 for their pictures. I kindly ignored that sign because it's ridiculous.
She stepped in front of my picture.
She informed me that I couldn't take pictures of my children. I informed Cheryl that I wasn't going to pay her to take pictures of my children. She told me that they have to pay for the space and pay Santa. I think Head Elf Cheryl is full of crap.
42 days
339 hours
$22.99
*Free* Visit with Santa
(1) 5” x 7” Portrait
(2) 3.5” x 5” Portraits
If only four people per hour buy a photo package at the minimum package cost of $23 that comes to
$31, 234.
By the way....their sign also says that they are sponsored by
ABC Family
Gymboree
Nintendo 3DS
Loopt
What are they paying for exactly? The FREE hugs?
I will never and mean NEVER take my kids to a mall Santa ever again. We will be writing him letters and MAILING them to the North Pole.
I'm calling for a Boycott of all mall Santas!
By the way, Bass Pro Shop has FREE pictures with Santa. And....the one in Denver says that you can take as many pictures of YOUR children with Santa as you would like.
The Naughty List
aka...Malls to Avoid
Colorado Mills Mall
Park Meadows Mall
Flat Iron Crossings
Southlands Mall (at least their package is only $16.99)
The Naughty List
aka...Malls to Avoid
Colorado Mills Mall
Park Meadows Mall
Flat Iron Crossings
Southlands Mall (at least their package is only $16.99)
That is RIDICULOUS!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's stupid to advertise a visit with Santa for free. I've never, ever noticed our mall Santas claim to be free. It's a given that you pay for pictures in order to sit on his lap. It's a total rip-off but we've done it a few times, only if the guy has a natural beard. Last year we just went to the brunch at our country club that had Santa ... we took pics with him for free (over $100 for brunch though!). But no natural beard. NO CLUE what we will do this year!
ReplyDeleteThat is insane! We go to a upscale outdoor mall. The pictures with Santa are only $5. They come inside a nice card and he gives each child a fancy sugar cookie neatly wrapped.
ReplyDeleteYou tell 'em, sister! That is ridiculous. I could *maybe* understand no pictures if they are offering them for say, $4 or $5. Then, fine. Whatever. I still think it's ridiculous. But, $23?! Holy cow! No thank you!
ReplyDeleteI'm cracking up that you did the math!! That's my gal!
ReplyDeleteLast year my mom and dad rented the local log cabin and gave a donation to a husband/wife team that came dressed up in AWESOME costumes as Santa and Mrs. Clause! And, his beard was authentic :) We took all the free pics we wanted and he interacted with the kiddos for hours!
Right on mama! How dare she tell you that you could not take photos of YOUR children.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you to boycott that kind of crap. I'm so glad my kids are grown up.
We had a community event Tuesday night and Mr. & Mrs. Claus were there - the sweetest couple EVER! They played with our dogs (I only brought 2) and let us take as many pics as I wanted of them with and without the dogs... and the entire event was free!!
I also love that you did the math - YOU ROCK. I am tweeting, stumbling and adding this post to my FB page.
Hope you had a great T-Day. =)
our mall santa is like that...
ReplyDeletebut lucky for us, the local pediatrician has a big Christmas party and has mr and mrs claus there... you go in one line to see them...(and you can take pics, free) you can go through another line and meet a bunch of elves...
then, once you are outside : cookies and punch... with REAL REINDEER :) so cool and so unexpected the first year...
When you said you had an altercation with the head elf I was hoping for some hair pulling or something that would have made the 11 o clock news! LOL
ReplyDeleteI think our sign requests that you don't take your own pictures but I don't think it forbids it. Haven't tried it to see if the head elf tries to take me out.
that is CRAP! I would be totally ticked off
ReplyDeleteKay, that's kind of funny, in a sad way. Way to take on the man!! (I mean, the elf ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy thought is that anyone who pays CASH For those pictures is putting money in Santa's pocket. how can they account for the "space" or 'money' made? Printers can screw up the paper so they can't use paper-- and they might have to take another round of shots if the first round didn't work out-- so what do they use to track their revenue? I had no idea Elves were such hooches!
ReplyDeleteWe do have a pretty great Santa here and he's the SAME one year after year-- much more believable!
well I am glad I'm not alone thinking those Santa/Easter Bunny mall photo setups are a total rip off! I am happy to report the Pearl St Mall Santa in Boulder (at the Visitor's Center) encourages you to bring your own camera AND Mrs. Claus was there, it's all FREE! They don't have anyone taking pictures, which made me happy. Oh and there was no wait.
ReplyDeleteYou can add macy's on 29th St in Boulder to that naughty list, we got reprimanded last year snapping photos within the confines of the cardboard fencing.
DAMN! That is a lucrative job!!!
ReplyDeleteWanna go and be a Santa???
~Becca
We have an outdoor shopping center here that gives the kids a SLEIGH RIDE w/Santa and a picture for free! If you want more pictures or the CD, you pay for it. However a percentage of that money goes towards the Home of the Innocents.
ReplyDeleteI hate mall Santa's now!
That is stupid! We can take pictures and also buy a $10 picture if we want to. I haven't been in a few years though....my kids are afraid of the big guy!
ReplyDeleteThat's crazy! Mall Santa's are horrible.
ReplyDelete$23 is ridiculous, but I could see why, if they were charging for photos, there would be an issue with people using their own cameras. I haven't taken my kids to a mall Santa in a number of years, but I do remember that people couldn't whip out their own camera to snap a pic. But that price is still ridiculous for a picture.
ReplyDeleteBecause of this post, we will be friends.
ReplyDeleteI am SO WITH YOU. Boooo Mall Santas.
We had a great pair of photographers line up a super friendly kris kringle to play with our kids in the park. They took over and hour with our kids and family and we have a great sessions worth of pictures for $40!!! The mall Santa has to charge for something to make money so I get them not wanting you to take pictures, but at the same time she could have handled it better, or been honest and charged for the visit...
ReplyDeleteBusch Gardens allowed us to take pictures, after their photographer took the posed ones, which we of course didn't buy, but I am sure people did...last year the mall santa charged over $30, but gave a $20 gift card to shutterfly - however you couldn't use it for shipping and handling...so much for free...anyway...i think the pics you get in any setting other than the mall are better anyway!!!
Our malls let us take pics with our own cameras provided we also buy a package.
ReplyDeleteI do wish they had at least one package that was more affordable, though. Like how about a 4x6 for $6 or something? It seems like you can't get a package for under $20 these days.
I do understand(as I'm seeing in your comments) that it's a business, but I still wish it didn't all have to be so expensive.
You can add The Wildlife Experience to your Nice List. (Unless their policies have changed. It was awesome when we went a couple years ago. Personal photos encouraged. One on one time with the Big Guy.) Granted, it wasn't free. I got in for free, but it was included with admission.
ReplyDeleteWrote about it here: http://thecasualperfectionist.com/2009/12/general-blogkeeping-a-sneak-peek-at-a-review-of-winter-wonderlights/
Oh! ...and there used to be a loophole at the Flatirons Mall: http://thecasualperfectionist.com/2008/12/the-elf-winked-at-me-so-it’s-cool…/
ReplyDelete;)