When Did Your Kids Start to "Like" Santa

Both of my boys always loved the idea of Santa, but hated the thought of going to see Santa. My 7 year old still believes in Santa, and loves him from afar, but will not go see him.

My daughter has not been much of a Santa fan but she might be finally getting over it a little and she's 4. We attempted pictures with Santa a week ago and she wanted nothing to do with him - she did sit on my lap next to him but wouldn't look at him or talk to him. Funny thing was, we left there and she said it was so much fun! Today we went to a Christmas tree farm to get our tree and they had a Santa sitting there for folks to take pics with if they wanted. She was excited to see Santa there from a distance. DD did go up to Santa with Daddy, wave hello and talked to him a little with some encouragement from Dad. She also got her picture taken with him, with her standing next to him but didn't need us right there (she told me she was too shy to get in his lap and as far as I am concerned that's fine). I'm hoping that the more willing she is to approach him, with time she'll get more confident and she'll overcome her anxiety all on her own.

give him time. my daughter hit about that age before she would sit with santa alone. maybe instead of meeting him you can just write him a letter :).

tess t obviously doesnt have children or is jw and either way is fine she just doesnt need to be rude.

My eldest never had an issue, my youngest (now five) still won't go near him. And we have a great Santa, real beard, no padding, freindly, and very understanding of anxious children.

My son like Santa last year when he was 4, this year he is in love with Santa and the idea that he brings you toys if you behave!!

It's different for every child, obviously. Maybe next year?..

AT two very scared! I think three and a half he was a little wary, met Santa in a calm quiet place where he could go slow and then at four and a half he was happy to see Santa. I always wanted to get a picture w/ Santa! if you are like me would he give Santa a high five?? or sit on your lap sitting on Santa's? You're doing the right thing to not push it, next year will be easier!

I have twin boys. One always loved the characters (the ones dressed foot to toe). The other was beyond terrified. Whenever we would go to Stew Leonard's (a grocery store), there would be a cow or chicken walking around and he would scream and run in the opposite direction. We took him to Beaches hotel when he was 3 and they have a Sesame Street show there and when the characters came on stage, he actually ran out of the seating area and grabbed the leg of some stranger!! This went on until he was about 4 1/2. Then we went back to Beaches and his "girlfriend" was there and I think he tried to be brave so he could deal with the Sesame Street characters, but when we went back to Stew Leonard's thinking all was ok, he still freaked out!!! I think the whole freak out was over by about age 5. One thing that helped was there is a costume store near us and we showed him the actual big costumes and explained that it's just a person in there. Maybe that helped. But he may just have to grow out of it. We thought it was funny but he was truly terrified.

Last year when my kids were almost 3 and almost 5 was the first time that I got a Santa picture in which someone was not crying...

I think with our son when he was 4.5 he finally just LOVED Santa! Before that he was a bit nervous. We never made him sit on Santa's lap. One year when he was younger we all went and stood next to Santa for a photo...I held our son. What helped was talking with our local Santa who was very chatty and personal with our son. What our son did not know is it actually was our neighbor and that is why he was so friendly and knew so much about him! hee hee! He just bent over and chatted away with our son and never made him sit on his lap. After that our son would want to go run and sit on Santa's lap and talk to him. We live in a different town now and the owner of the local department store dresses as Santa every year. He is so great! He takes so much time with each kid...talking and joking around with them. Our son is 7 now and still LOVES Santa. I am sure he is getting old enough to hear things at school so who knows how much longer this will last...this might be the last year!

my sons....loved him & the Easter Bunny.....& parades with clowns. Nothing fazed them.

My niece who's 15.....hmm, she was about 12 before she "liked" Santa!