For the second straight year, my wife and I opted to take our son to Breakfast with Santa. It’s a much better option than waiting in line for the Mall Santa. 

There is nothing enjoyable about the Mall Santa. You wait on a line while your child is going stir crazy and just wants to run around. While it seemingly takes everyone else forever, you feel it’s like Red Light-Green Light-123 when it’s your child’s turn. You throw your kid on a stranger’s lap and expect them to be happy and smile. You have a photo of a nervous or upset kid for $30-$40, and that’s if you go to the cheap mall without the Peanuts Ice Palace (it was Frozen). 

Instead, the Breakfast with Santa is an event, a cheap one at that. Depending on where you are, it’s anywhere from $7 – $15 per person. That gets you crafts, coloring books, crayons, Santa hats, and a whole bunch of other swag. This year it included one of those Wendy’s Junior Frosty ticket pack. Last year, there was a DJ. This year was a magician. Both years had ballon animals. 

You get to feast on French toast sticks (extremely underrated) or some other form of quick breakfast like pancakes or runny scrambled eggs. Kids can usually get chocolate milk or juice. Adults get coffee that makes K-cups seem strong. Doesn’t matter because it’s all worth it to see your child get excited when Santa enters the room.

For them it’s like a wrestler’s music coming on expectedly as the wrestler sprints to the ring. They go berserk. They love it. For kids, Santa is the biggest celebrity in the world. And he’s there to hang out with them. He’s there after they’ve had breakfast. He’s there after they were running around for a bit. There’s no rush to get to the next person. 

Santa takes a little more time with each kid and one of his elves snaps a picture with your phone or camera if you want a family photo. Otherwise, you can take the picture yourself without rushing. Best part of it this year was the fact that my wife and I realized we’re better off buying one meal ticket and getting coffee for ourselves.  This year our son’s picture with Santa cost $7. 

I’m never visiting a Mall Santa again.