Photos With Santa Don’t Have to be Stressful!

I know it doesn’t always feel simple to set up photo sessions for your family, especially if you have neurodivergent kiddos. I get it. As a parent of neurodivergent kids myself, I know just how difficult it can feel to get the balance right. And I know what happens when overstimulation hits outside the house – it’s a lot, Mama. I’m right there with you. But if you’ve counted out holiday photos for your family because it’s just too much stress… keep reading!

It’s Not About The Mall Anymore

Holiday photo sessions don’t have to be about the mall anymore! We’ve all done it – standing in line with 200 other parents, in the local mall, waiting for two seconds on Santa’s lap, and one wide-eyed photo they’re going to charge an arm and a leg for, and that if you’re honest, you don’t even like now, since you had to deal with the overwhelm of standing in line, listening to endless chants of “how much longer” – or even more stressful, the it-took-too-long breakdown.

Again, I get it. But you don’t have to go through that, for photos of your little one(s) with Santa! Or if they’re not really into the whole “Santa” thing, holiday portraits without him involved. You can come into the studio at Jessica Strobel Photography, and we will make it our JOB to ensure you have the lowest stress possible experience!

In My Studio, We’re Ready for Anything!

Here in the studio, we’re ready for anything. And I mean ANYthing! Well, more specifically, we actively prevent those “it’s taking too long” situations, in a few ways. First of all, you won’t be in a 200-parent line, the way you are at the mall. You’ll be in my studio, where life is less overwhelming, and less overstimulating. But more than that, we also make sure we have at least one holiday craft prepped, so that while your kiddo is waiting, they’re not JUST waiting!

Keeping their little hands (and little minds!) busy means you have less stress overall, because there’s less chance for overwhelm. But that’s not all, either! When it IS your turn, it’s not just a five second stint of “what do you want for Christmas” with one photo and nothing to choose from. After your Christmas Mini session, no matter what kind of session you’ve chosen (Santa or not!) you’ll get a gallery you can choose from with a variety of images. And if you want more than was originally included in your package? You can choose that too! Upgrades are easily available.

You’ll Come Away With Magical Memories

Like I said, when you’re working with Jessica Strobel Photography for your holiday mini session photos, you aren’t signing up for “click click done”. I mean, you are, but you aren’t. You are, in the sense that your session will fly by, since that’s what happens when you’re having a low-stress, fun time! But you’re not, in that even though these sessions feel fast, your kiddos (if Santa is involved!) get more than just a few sentences with him. They get their OWN time, to sit on the sofa, ask him questions, discuss goings-on at the North Pole… and in those moments? The magic is real. It sounds cliché, but it’s true!

But it’s not JUST about your kids, either. You get to be involved in the fun, and honestly some parents enjoy it even more than their little ones. It’s the season of magic, and you deserve to have a bit of that yourself, too!

3 – Portraits of you, as you are, right now

The third type of family photo you need to update this summer, isn’t actually a “family” photo, per se. That’s because it’s all about you! Look, I get it. I understand wanting to wait until you’re ready. Wanting to lose the last ten pounds. Or wanting to get that new wardrobe. I really do.

But life? It’s not going to wait for ANY of those things to happen. It’s just going to keep on rolling, and if you’re not careful, you’ll turn around ten years from now, with nothing to look back on documenting… well, you. And if you’re not someone who takes selfies, then you’ll have even less. How you’ve changed, what you’ve learned, what you’ve lost, what you’ve gained, the choices you’ve made – those little moments are the reason a picture is worth a thousand words. Looking back at them – at yourself – in the years to come will be a completely different experience than looking at them when you get them… even though getting to see yourself through the eyes of your professional photographer is also different than seeing yourself through the eyes of that one group photo your friend took with their phone after that dinner where you might have been mid-carb-crash by the time everyone was photo-ready (you know the one I’m talking about).

And in ten years? They’re going to be FAR more sentimental than they are now, believe me.

Holiday Traditions that Come With Built-in Souvenirs are the BEST Ones!

Those magical memories are great in and of themselves – but every family should have holiday traditions. There’s the cinnamon rolls your mom makes every year. The corn-casserole your dad brings to the family gathering, that everyone loves and he won’t share the recipe so… you only get it at Thanksgiving. There’s the post-Christmas-lunch walk you all take, in the cold – that gets extra special on white christmases.

But none of those traditions come with built-in frozen-in-time memories, that you can look back at! And holiday photos DO. When you make holiday photos with your family a tradition you guys do year after year, then not only does it build those memories, it builds a library. A magical, personal, family library, that you can physically hold in your hands, and reflect on year after year. And depending on what you decide to DO with those photos, they can contribute to things like decorating your tree, decorating your home… your imagination is really the only limit here.

Imagine having a tree ornament from every year of your little one’s childhood, hung on your tree, like a holiday journey through time. I don’t think there’s anything cooler than that!

So are you ready to book your holiday minis?

If you’re not already on the calendar, you can reserve your 2025 holiday session (with or without Santa!) today, easily, in like… just a few clicks. Because I don’t just keep the process easy IN the studio, I keep it easy BEFORE the studio, too! So go check out the calendar, and see whether there are times available that work for your family. I promise, you’ll LOVE the new addition to your family traditions, and it’ll become a part of the holiday season you look forward to every year!