Mom: 4-Year-Old Girl Denied Santa Visit For Not Buying Photo

Mom: 4-Year-Old Girl Denied Santa Visit For Not Buying Photo

POSTED: 1:27 pm EST November 30, 2005
UPDATED: 1:43 pm EST November 30, 2005

A mall in Massachusetts issued an apology after a 4-year-old girl was apparently told she was not allowed to sit on Santa's lap unless she purchased a $21 picture of the meeting, according to a Local 6 News report.

Maria Grigorian said she took her daughter, Michelle, to the North Shore Mall in Peabody to visit Santa Claus.

However, when the 4-year-old got to the front of the line, she was not allowed to sit on Santa's lap because her mother did not have cash to pay for the picture.

Grigorian said the least expensive photo offered was $21.

http://www.local6.com/news/5435940/detail.html

To break a child's heart that way....cold.

That's bad PR...

As a fat guy, I'm in the wrong business.

hee hee, first thought in my mind too!:evilgrin:

The story says the mall will apologize and let her visit Santa "free of charge." Well, sheesh, I should hope so, and they should throw in a gigantic pile of presents, too.
This was awful for the kid but just as awful for the mom... imagine being on a budget but finding a fun mother-daughter thing you can do together, seeing your kid get all excited about visiting Santa, and then to be turned away... the more I think about it the madder I get that a moment like this was spoiled.
$21 for a picture... that's a whole other GRRRRR.

earth to mom, did you think santa was sitting there for his health?

Malls hire Santas because it brings people in - presumably to shop at the stores in the mall, not just to make money for Santa actor and associated photo studio.

Every Santa I ever saw, and every one I've taken my kids to, the pictures are completely OPTIONAL, as they should be.

In fact ever one I've seen allows you to use your own camera to take the picture if you want.

the ones who want a picture.. That's ridiculous.. If they want a "special Picture Santa" he needs to be in a different place entirely..

They always offered pictures when mine were small, but it was nowhere near that expensive.. and all they did was give you a ticket that you could either redeem or not..no embarrassing confrontations .

at least under American capitalism.

I've never heard of a Santa that forced parents to buy the photos. Normally you have the option. What a horrible thing to do to a little 4 yr old! Kids are becoming more cynical at a much younger age but 4 is still young enough to believe in Santa. Poor thing.

For the record, the BEST Santa in the whole country is the guy who does it at the Mall of America in Minnesota. He's awesome.

My 5 year old is already questioning Santa AND the Easter Bunny. My husband and I don't have the heart to stop lying to her about it (ha!) so we just tell her it's up to her if she wants to believe or not. I didn't expect her to question these things at this age.

Sheesh.

Santa watches and knows if you are naughty and nice. Poor kids must be naughty, they hardly get any presents compared to rich kids.

Santa clearly likes rich kids. Otherwise (as my son said when he first started questioning the reality of Santa) he'd bring poor kids a LOT of presents and rich kids just a few, because rich parents can afford to buy them.

Santa is republican?

The fundies/moneychangers are always looking for ways to make money off people's faith.

how dare that woman visit the mall without a purse full of cash to properly celebrate the baby Jeebus' birthday?