Photos have a lot to do with the owners of the photos — some people throw out any photos in which they don’t look good — or in which they don’t look the way the person wants to remember themselves or their loved ones. It sounds like you're in that camp, but I would recommend you consider saving even the most nightmarish Santa photos. (One day, your kids might find their hysterics quite funny.)

I suggest saving ALL pictures — even the ones you hate — put them in a box because they represent a time in your life that you may find valuable at a later point.

That said — when planning a Santa picture — you should have your child wear something that they're comfortable in. If you have the kind of child who sparkles when they put on fancy clothing, then by all means, get the sparkle in their eye by allowing them a fancy shirt and tie or dress. If you’ve got the kind of child who hates fancy clothes and only feels like themselves in jeans and a flannel shirt, then let them wear that. The idea is to get the great, natural shot of Santa.

If your child screams and cries — so what? It’s their experience. Get the shot and get out of there! There’s always next year. Besides, you’ll all laugh later when you remember how the photo session went.

If you’ve got a child who’s got a real fear of Santa or anyone in a costume, for God’s sakes, don’t force them to go into a scary situation just so you can get a picture of them with Santa. There are lots of alternative ways to get a holiday picture of your child — for instance, your child and a bunch of presents, your child and a lit Christmas tree or your child making Christmas cookies.

Santa’s great — but he’s not the whole shebang at Christmas. Your family is.