There it is. THE Santa photo we bought this year. It’s nice, right?

But there’s a story behind this photo filled with drama and intrigue and…well, maybe it’s just a story behind the story.

Those cute outfits I bought at Target, in November, fully prepared to do “normal” Christmas thing and get a Santa OR Christmas tree picture for our holiday card. Right down to the matching boots and matching bow (which Zoe picked out). There are even cute matching black cardigan sweaters with “jewel” buttons, which got removed MOMENTS before sitting on Santa’s lap when Zoe (and therefore her shadow, Ella) decided they were hot…

I took that in stride. They’re so cute, who needs an (outfit perfecting, mommy really likes it and wishes you would wear it please just for one picture) sweater?

Anyway, I said not a word, took those sweaters and smiled.

The family in front of us was Santa-ready: Two little girls, an even smaller boy, and mom and dad all dressed in black outfits with a red “accent” of some sort (bow, stockings, shoes, bowtie). They were also Santa-trained. The photographer could have taken 73 identical pictures of the same perfect pose of this family. I know this because when he told them to “do something crazy” and made faces at them, not ONE of them even flinched or dropped their smiles a millimeter.

When they were done, I assured the photographer he’d have no trouble getting a “crazy” pose out of our kids. He laughed. The girls sat up in Santa’s lap and the photoshoot began, with me behind the photographer making faces and encouraging them to smile.

When “make a crazy face” time came around, I crazy faced right at them. I was staring at their faces while Zoe instantly started crazy-facing and Ella just smiled. Oh well.

When he was done taking photos, I came over to see the results. There were several versions of the one above, and then this one:

While “coaching” my kids, I failed to even NOTICE what Santa was doing… O.M.G. What are the chances? I immediately said to the photographer, “Clearly, I have to get THAT one” and he agreed.

As he was prepping the file, Bart was walking towards us so I pointed over to have him check out the picture and went over to the girls and Santa. When I looked back, Bart had a  “you’ve got to be kidding me” look on his face and the photographer looked confused. I went over and my darling husband calmly said, “Not THAT one…”

To which I responded, “OF COURSE THAT ONE! What are the chances? It’s hilarious!” And he said, “I would not get that one.” The photographer took pity on me and let me take a picture of the computer screen to try and capture the shot I wanted (it would have cost us a minimum of $33 more to get both…) He let me know that “it wouldn’t look good”, which it does not, but how could I not try?

“And what happened, then? Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch’s BIG heart SHRANK three sizes that day. And then – the true meaning of Christmas WAS LOST, and the Grinch’s wife should have paid what it COST!” (How The Grinch Stole Christmas quote, edited by me)

Regardless, at least I have the good one (sort of), and a good story to boot. And the memory of THIS YEAR, when my Grinch let me buy the funny one at the bottom – even though it didn’t make the holiday card ;)

Ho.Ho.Ho.