Luckily for me, my kiddo is completely interested in Santa. She went right up to his lap the first time she met him two years ago and has continued to visit him with confidence every year since, muttering her quirky wishes (another photo of her grandparents, a dog toy, a balloon…) shyly into his fuzzy beard.

Of course, I’ve also considered that this isn’t such a good thing. Sure, I’m delighted that she’s so confident, but am otherwise concerned about her quick taking to strangers. Anything in a suit—from Gumby to Chuck E. Cheese to Daffy Duck—simply delights her, and she instantly wants to hug anyone dressed as such. Teaching “stranger danger” may be a bit harder to do in our home. As it is, we’re not sure she’s completely understood the lessons yet.

That said, a visit to Santa is something that most parents wish to be pleasurable for their children—a lasting memory for a lifetime; so when some kiddos freak out, scream, cry, or even bite the big guy, it’s not exactly a walk in the park.

To prevent such things from happening, you can take a few measures to try to get your child ready for his big visit.

• Show him what Santa looks like. This alone can ease some jitters. Read some holiday books together, watch your favorite Santa movie, or even point out Santa at the mall well before your visit so your child can get an idea of what it’s all about.
• Wear Santa hats during dress up. This might make him a bit more comfortable with the costume, at least.
• Explain that visiting Santa is fun. Tell him that you will be right there with him, and that there is nothing to be afraid of. Santa wants to tell him how good he’s been and to see what he’d like for Christmas!
• Don’t see Santa on an empty stomach, or right before naptime. You know best when your child is going to be cranky; avoid these times and take him when you know he’s normally most content.
• Visit Santa at a smaller location. Sure, the mall normally has an exquisite display complete with a sled and elves, but it’s also a large, loud environment that can be pretty scary for kids alone. If your school, library, church, or other local group is offering a Santa visit in a more familiar location, try that out. Of course, you could also always have a relative or family friend dress up as Santa and come to visit; those were always my favorites as a kid!
• Above all else, don’t push him. If he absolutely doesn’t want to see Santa, don’t make him go. It’s not that big of a deal, after all, and it’s better to avoid the experience than to put him through a scary ordeal.