My Turn: Oh, the ho-ho-horror

Dear Parents,

It’s that time of year when you are probably gearing up to torture your offspring with the ever-so-necessary trip to see Santa Claus. Well, take a look at this picture and heed this advice: Don’t do it! At the very least, think twice.

My mom has insisted on displaying this photo in our living room for the past 20 years, so I’ve had plenty of time for reflection. Why do parents do this? I mean, look at that howling baby! I may not remember the terror evident on my face, but I can tell you that my Santa phobia foreshadowed fears to come.



There was no escape at the “North Pole” either. I absolutely hated Santa Claus. He would try to entice me with those red-and-white sticks of deliciousness, but if I’d had the ability to execute an escape plan, all of the candy canes in the world wouldn’t have kept me around. Even though I was clearly not a fan of this long-running tradition, my parents plopped me down on that red-velvet lap anyway, year after year after year.

Recently I discovered why my mom made me sit in tears on Santa’s lap. She and I went to Disneyland with my sisters to celebrate my nephew’s 2nd birthday. As soon as Gunner got close to the giant Mickey Mouse, he began to bawl for his mom, who mercifully pulled him away. But it was long enough to snap a photo and create a sentimental moment for the adults.


In situations like mine with Santa, my parents weren’t emotionally responsive. They allowed me to sit there crying so they could get a nice memory. I am not saying that my emotional development was severely affected, but every child is different.




Veronica Gomez

Gomez is an emergency medical technician in Huntington Beach.
