Bad Santa: harrowing mall encounters – in pictures

Hard to say who's less happy in this picture: Thomasina or Santa Photograph: George Nicholson

Joshua Ridenour writes that this his 2-year-old son Jack wanted nothing to do with this Chicago-based Santa. '"But as you can see, Santa had an iron grip on him, forcing him to stay put for the photo. Santa was kind of a jerk this year' Photograph: Joshua Ridenour

Isabelle visits Santa for the first time and is, says her father Tomas, 'truly petrified.' Photograph: Tomas Dennehy

Lauren Young sends this snapshot of her cousins in Austin, Texas. Guess which one will be getting coal this year. (Neither! We're just kidding, kiddo) Photograph: Lauren Young

Not even sitting in Daddy's lap could keep poor Harry's tears from flowing Photograph: Russell Homer

Mickey Russo writes from Felton, California, to point out that of his two daughters, 'Lorna is a true believer. Maisy on the other hand is apprehensive' Photograph: Mickey Russo

Allan from Seattle sends us this picture of 8-month-old Lucia at the Space Needle last year. She 'would have none of it,' he writes But in keeping with the space theme, at least, he got to get a snapshot of the 'coolest Santa' he'd ever seen Photograph: guardian.co.uk

'Sarah was fine until she got on Santa's lap,' writes her dad, Jerry Photograph: Jerry Madden

Ian Lilystone of Austin, Texas, dubs this photo of his kids: 'Santa + terrified children + awesome' Photograph: Ian Lilystone

Cecilia Lindgren of Sydney, Australia, sends us this picture of her daughter Liv 'not liking Santa very much.' To say the least Photograph: Cecilia Lindgren

Just grit your teeth, young one, and go to your happy place. This will all be over soon Photograph: Susan Stewart

John McDermott was so traumatized by this Kris Kringle in 1963 that he writes, 'I still hate the holidays'
Photograph: John McDermott

A highly skeptical Holly McNulty, 1, 'actually threw the little toy puppy back at poor Santa,' who looks a little bleary-eyed himself Photograph: Holly McNulty

Two-year-old Doug Kuhlmann at the Famous-Barr department store in St. Louis in December 1948. 'I was the crabby kid in the middle,' writes Doug. 'My parents, who did not have a lot of money, were not happy that I ruined that Christmas photo'
Photograph: Douglas Kuhlmann

Maraithe Thomas (left), a producer here at Guardian US, and her sister Kerry met this shifty-eyed Santa in 1994 in Hyannis, Massachusetts
Photograph: Amy Thomas

On her first trip to meet Santa earlier this month, 14-month-old Annabelle Bea of Salt Lake City, Utah, was less than enthusiastic about the experience. St Nick doesn't appear to be having the time of his life, either
Photograph: Brittany Anne Nielsen

Odin had met Santa before, last year. 'The first time was great,' writes his dad, Shay McCloskey. 'The second, not so much' Photograph: Shay McCloskey

It took two hands to keep little Dane of Oxford, NC, in this rosy-cheeked Santa's lap Photograph: Jennifer Nixon

Twins Lyra and Scarlett were 'terrified' upon meeting Santa at Macy's in Seattle. 'All great fun,' writes their mom Jonty. (Tigerlily, far left, and Sterling certainly seemed to be a bit more into it) Photograph: Jonty Barnes

Jason Baez of Virginia Beach sends us this picture of his horrified-looking son on his first trip to meet Santa Photograph: Jason Baez

It's not hard to tell which of the Scholtz sisters was more excited about meeting this bored, baby-faced Santa in 1977 Photograph: Kim Scholtz

Little did poor Freddie know, that was his own dad behind the white whiskers Photograph: Sam Brown

Not even story time could sooth Van's Santa jitters in New York earlier this month. Photograph: Amanda Michel