Daily Peep: Jolly Old St. Nick

Peeper and I went to visit Santa Claus this evening.

Given the way she generally reacts to anyone other than me or Shrike holding her, I was kind of expected to come home with an official Bad Santa Photo, but she did amazingly well.

When we approached his "workshop" we first stopped to pet the (animatronic) reindeer, which she thought were very cool.

There was a little boy ahead of us who was not at all cool with Santa, and I didn't want her to see him being scared, so we hung back until they gave up. (He tried again, and did pretty well later - after seeing Peeper, I guess.)

She was a bit hesitant when we actually went up to Santa, but I showed her his doggies (one on either side of his chair; can't see them in the photos) and had her show Santa how to sign "doggie" and then handed her to him.

At first, she was a little iffy, but we did get some good smiles, and then she started turning around to look at him. There were actually a couple of really sweet photos of that - it looks like she's telling him what she wants for Christmas - but I chose the one in which you can see her face.

I managed to get a couple with my camera:

But I like the "official" one better:


Now here's where I'm kind of ticked off, though.

Our mall uses MySantaPics.com. When they take the photos, in addition to the ones they print on the spot, they upload them to the website, and you get a card with the link and a code to see your photo. There, you can order prints or gifts, or email the link to Grandma and let her order her own.

To view your photo, you have to give them an email address (That's a bit sneak - you put in the code, then it says "Help us find your photo. Name/Email..." as though they need that to find it. As if they even knew that info until you put it in. But I digress.) so they had us on their mailing list from last year, so a week or so ago, we got an email saying, "Visit Santa and get 20 FREE 4 x 6 prints!!‏" and "Purchase any photo package at one of our 200 locations and get 20 FREE 4 x 6 prints at MyAlbumPics.com"

It said to print out the coupon and take it with you to the mall, so I did.

Well, the elves had no idea what that was about. They'd never see such a coupon, and certainly weren't going to print 20 photos for me.

I didn't expect to get them at the mall, though, I just wanted to make sure I bought the right thing to qualify for the free prints.

The elf told me that I needed to get a "package," as in something more than just the one 4x6 for $14.99, so I got the two 4x6 prints for $19.99.

When I got home, I went to the website and I don't see anywhere on MyAlbumPics.com to access my MySantaPics.com photos, to get my free prints.

I could upload the photo and get free prints, if I'd bought the image on a thumbdrive for $24.99, but noooooo.

Oh, and the best part? As I was getting Peeper strapped into her carseat, I crinkled the two prints that do have. Because I am an oaf.

I see a customer relations 800-number on the envelope, so I'm thinking I might give them a call tomorrow and see what I can find out about how to get my damn free prints.

But, we did get cute photos, including the ones I took, and she had a good experience with Santa, and when we were done, I was signing "Thank you" for her (she doesn't know that one yet), and Santa asked me how to sign, "I love you."

Santa Claus loves our kid!

Score!