Golden ticket invitation to have milk and cookies with Santa.

An Invitation from Santa.

Can you imagine being a child and receiving a golden ticket invitation in the mail? To make it even more magical, can you imagine it coming from Santa Claus and being wrapped in a letter from Santa. What if a bell from Santa's sleigh was included with the package. Now picture these things in an old crumpled envelope, stamped with your name and address.

The image of a child receiving and opening up such a package brings a smile to my face every time I think of it. If you were that child, can you imagine the tingle and emotion of joy that would run through your body? It may be the best experience and gift that a child may have ever received.

Discovering and Releasing the Wonder of a Child.

Many kids are either shy, reserved, or have had their joy suppressed. We all search for happiness; however, we all live and grow through unique circumstances. As an artist and kind human being, my job has been to capture that wonder of a child's joy in my art. Some children are joyous and happy for the bulk of their day. They are full of wonder, and working with them is easy.

There are, however, many children who are not this way, and it is our job to free them of their anxiety and release their inhibitions. In my years of experience, this does not happen with just one popular event or party. Kids need continuous and subliminal approval to open up and let their joy genuinely come out.

The Full Performance for Fine Art Santa Photography.

We all can snap of photo of a child sitting on Santa's knee. However, that does not create Fine Art nor tell a nostalgic and iconic story. For that, as an artist, I require more, way more. It is my job to say that iconic story in proper lighting, composition, balance, harmony, and emotion with a connection between the child and Santa.

To do this, the child must be fully engaged. Why do we accomplish this time after time? It is not guesswork. The solution has been developed over time and is a mix of phycology, theater, and loads of knowledge.

It all starts by understanding that there are stages to building a child's trust while "slowly" freeing their own joyful emotions and wonder. The performance has been developed to happen over a period of time and allows the child's family to join in the fun. It also empowers the children by starting with discovering a magical golden ticket from Santa in the mail.

The Golden Ticket Invitations, Letter from Santa, and Bell from his Sleigh.

Well, before our session with Santa, we began releasing the wonder of a child. We send each child an incredible and very magical package in the mail. This is more than a gift for the child, and at this point, it is not even about Christmas. It is the beginning of us setting the child's wonder "free."

The way the package is designed, and combined with the contents within, becomes a very personal individual event for the children. Kids and adults connect to this in ways that free imagination and ignite a personal journey to meet and share a personal moment with iconic Santa.

Golden Ticket Invitation from the North Pole.

The golden ticket invite is specific, personal, magical, and not a download. It is a "personal" invite to have milk and cookies with Santa on a specific date. Imagine receiving this in the mail from Santa. The child must bring their golden ticket to the session itself.

The date of the session could be any time of the year. (we offer these throughout the year, so you have to watch for the time.) It does not have to be Christmas, as Santa always has a reason to come to visit. And when visiting, why not stay with kids and have mild and cookies.

NOTE: I have more on this topic in another blog as there are many advantages to having your Fine Art Santa performance and artwork created away from the Christmas season.

Letter from Santa.

The printed Letter from Santa is personal and sets the stage for the intimate relationship and being ready to meet Santa. It is also uplifting and empowering. This is the beginning of building the child's desire to see Santa. To add this personal connection, it will show up in photos later. It becomes this exclusive free connection between the child and Santa.

To see the child's wonder, it cannot be the parents who want the child to be there...the desire must come from the child. When the child knows this is their moment (and invited) to visit Santa, the mood and direction change. Now imagine the letter with the Golden Ticket inside. WOW.

Bell from Santa's Sleigh.

A sign that Santa is very kind and giving is the bell from his sleigh included with this magical package. Can you imagine your child receiving this gift? This will be a magic bell they will keep forever. These little things make a huge difference in opening the wonder of a child's emotions. It is a one-step time process.

The Package is also Magical.

The package is also made to look like it came from the North Pole. This is more than a ticket in the mail. We want kids to connect with Santa well before seeing him. We want them to know he is thinking of them specifically.

All of this adds that bit of WOW. We have always believed that the details matter and add to the excitement. Can you feel the child becoming free to express their joy?

We think about the type of paper used for the letter. The bell is a beautiful and traditional bell that a child could see on Santa's sleigh. The ticket is certainly gold and magical. We want the child to "feel" this first experience and remember this particular moment of receiving a package from Santa.

Making it Tactile makes it Real.

Receiving this package in the mail takes the experience from the internet and brings it into the real world. This makes the connection real as they can touch and feel the letter and ticket. Kids can hear the bell. They become free to use their imagination.

Little Larry, Authentication, and Story upon Arrival.

By the time we all get to the day of meeting Santa, the parents have complete information on detailed information regarding allergies (we use cookies that are essential sugar cookies), clothing, times, price, art, and products. These details should not enter on the day of the session. The day of the session is all about the child and the wonder.

We make sure the children are dressed in their pj's and nightgowns. We provide them, and clients show up in advance so our team can get the kids ready. Then the second round of fun begins.

Little Larry (my inner child) now enters the waiting area and is looking for children who have a golden ticket...and he makes a big deal of it. It is all part of the performance. With their letter and passport in hand, the children begin jumping. I review their tickets to authenticate them. They are amazed. When I find each ticket to be the real deal, I also make that a magical moment.

Magical Story.

Once I authenticate the tickets, I tell the children a compelling and whimsical story about the huge wrapped box of cookies that appeared in front of my door that morning. Then Santa suddenly appeared. Of course, the story is longer and performed in a way that captures the child's imagination. It is incredible, and it is beautiful to see the children on the edge of their seats.

Now the Child or Children are Ready to Meet Santa.

The wonder of a child is palpable at this point. The children can feel that they are about to meet Santa. The images and artwork that we can now create become much more than photos. It takes this level of performance and detail to free kids' imaginations and allows the wonder of a child to rise and come out and play.

This level of professionalism, performance and care mixed with pure fun allows my artwork to feature iconic storytelling and the wonder of a child all in one piece of art. And the families are also left with a memory they will never forget.