Say Cheese! 13 Photo-Worthy Santas Worth the Wait

Whatever your tradition is---there are plenty of options (and plenty of St. Nicks) to choose from this year. Here are 13 Seattle-area standouts.

By Erin Cranston November 1, 2012

We parents make the holidays so difficult sometimes, whether it’s dressing the kiddos up in scratchy Christmas outfits, making them wait in long lines for hours, or insisting they sit on some bearded dude’s lap just so we can get our treasured Santa photo. Do they really remember that we go to the same Santa every year? Probably not, but it sure makes for a seriously awesome Christmas tradition. To help minimize the Santa photo stress, we’ve rounded up the best places to seek out your St. Nick nirvana. Choosing the least meltdown-inducing matching Christmas sweaters for your mini-mes? That one’s up to you.

Step Inside Santa’s House: University Village

In his own cozy cabin across from Fran’s Chocolates, the University Village Santa definitely draws crowds, so plan your visit accordingly. There is only one of him (real beard, glasses, sits on a big green chair) and yes, he does need breaks to occasionally feed his reindeer or grab a macchiato. Best bet is to plan your visit on a weekday. Every Monday, Santa takes photos with pets and a portion of sales from pet photos is donated to the Seattle Humane Society. All prints are digital so there’s no wait. Prices start at $21.

Dates: November 29 – December 24

2623 NE University Village St.
Seattle, Wa 98105
206-523-0622

Let us know where you take the kiddos for Santa photos every year in a comment below!

–Erin Cranston & Allison Ellis

Photos credits: Fred Jala via Flickr, Katie Christiansen, Space Needle Facebook page, santaphotos.com, Erin Cranston, Heidi Larsen, Danielle Dolbec, Janine Vazquez, Christmas Creek Farm website and Arin Winsor, Wing Luke Museum Facebook page