Mean Santa

A Santa in Canada is upset because people are taking pictures of him for free instead of paying fourteen dollars for the pictures that his service uses. He claims that parents are teaching their kids to steal by taking pictures of their kids with Santa with their cell phones or personal cameras and doesn't hesitate to call mall security on these people.

"What message are you sending your children; 'Look Tommy and Sally, see what your parents stole you for Christmas,'" Young said. "This is a private enterprise and these people do this to make a living ... it's really not that expensive."

He said it's free for a child to sit on his lap and talk about presents and wishes, but he doesn't hesitate to ask mall security to stop parents from taking pictures with cell phones and digital cameras. That's led to some people using "four-letter words" and having "tantrums" when asked to stop taking pictures, Young said.

I personally think that taking pictures with your own camera instead of paying $14 for overpriced mall photos is teaching your child to be thrifty. The manager of the mall feels the same way I do, he's said that he'll think about hiring a Santa next year and allowing people to take their own pictures if they wish.

"I'm a grandfather, and if my grandson was on Santa's lap, I'd take a picture," he said.

Good for him!