A Christmas Tradition That Inspired a Legacy of Magic

Every family has that one tradition that lives in the heart long after the moment has passed — the kind that becomes a thread woven through generations. For me, that tradition began many years ago at my Granpap’s house when we were just children. His home was the center of Christmas Eve, filled with cousins, laughter, and the kind of magic only childhood can explain.

When my Granpap passed away, the celebration moved to my parents’ home, where the tradition remained — and still remains — lovingly rooted to this day. No matter how big our family grew or how busy life became, we all found ourselves in that same cozy living room every Christmas Eve.

As the years went on, our children grew, got married, and began having little ones of their own. Instead of buying gifts for every child, we decided to create something more meaningful — something magical. And that’s when my brother-in-law Jim stepped into the story.

Jim loved the idea of surprising the children with a visit from Santa, and from that moment on, he became our official Santa. Every Christmas Eve began the same way: my sister, his wife, gathered all the children around her, each one dressed in their sweetest Christmas pajamas, and read The Night Before Christmas. The room would quiet, little faces glowing with wonder, hanging on every word.

Then, without fail, we would hear bells jingling outside.

Santa had arrived.

The children’s eyes widened, their excitement contagious. It was the highlight of Christmas Eve — the moment every child waited for. And without even realizing it at the time, those moments planted the seed for something that would eventually become a huge part of my life: our Magical Santa Sessions.

Jim was my very first official Santa. He brought warmth, joy, and gentleness to every session. But because our own children saw him on Christmas Eve, we chose not to include them in the Santa Sessions — we didn’t want to break the magic or confuse them. And so, despite all the joy he brought, Jim never had a portrait of himself with all of his nieces’ and nephews’ children together.

A Loss That Changed Everything

Then came Covid.
And like so many families, we experienced a loss that still feels unreal. We lost Santa Jim.

My heart broke. And yet, I felt so strongly that something special needed to be created — something that honored him, something that let his spirit live on in the tradition he loved so much.

So I gathered an image of Santa Jim sitting in his chair reading "The Night Before Christmas"from one of our sessions, brought in all the grandchildren and had them sit around his chair for a portrait then I blended the two images together creating a portrait he never had the chance to be in, but absolutely would have treasured.

Time has continued to move forward, and with it came a second wave of babies — little ones who never had the chance to meet Santa Jim, but who are now part of the same beautiful tradition.

Although we had previously lost my parents and than Santa Jim the tradition lives on.

Every Christmas Eve, in that same cozy living room our families come together to celebrate Christmas.  My sister still reads The Night Before Christmas. The children still gather close, wide-eyed and wiggly. And right on cue, the bells still ring. Santa’s bag appears on the porch, filled with gifts from “Santa Jim,” because love like his never really leaves.

This year, I felt it was time to create another portrait — one that honors the next generation. So I photographed the little ones: a sweet 3-year-old, four busy 2-year-olds, one curious 18-month-old, and even a tiny 2-month-old baby girl. Eighty-four images later, carefully pieced together like the sweetest Christmas puzzle, we created the companion portrait to Jim’s.

Aunt Deb, reading The Night Before Christmas to the new generation of grandchildren — the same story, the same warmth, the same magic.

These two portraits now sit together, side by side: one honoring Santa Jim and all the little ones who adored him, and the other celebrating the children who came after him — the ones who will carry this tradition forward.

And that’s the beautiful thing about Christmas traditions:
They grow.
They stretch.
They connect us.
They remind us of who we are and where we come from.

And if we’re lucky, they give us moments — and memories — that last far beyond a single Christmas Eve.

The Heart of Why I Do This

These two portraits — one with Santa Jim and one with Aunt Deb — are more than art. They are the soul of our family tradition, preserved forever. They are why I believe so deeply in creating magical portraits for other families… portraits that will matter not just today, but decades from now.

Because one day, long after the toys are forgotten and the pajamas have been outgrown, these images will remain — reminders of love, connection, and the magic of Christmas that lives on through generations.

To see the joy Santa Jim helped create and experience the magic for your own family, visit our Magical Santa Sessions page