The Santa Experience takes place at our beautifully designed portrait studio located in Carlsbad, California. Our studio is at 2185 Faraday Avenue, Suite 110, Carlsbad, CA 92008, in North San Diego County—perfectly situated between Orange County and San Diego proper, making it an easy drive from surrounding areas. These magical, private holiday photo sessions are held in our spacious 1200-square-foot studio, thoughtfully styled to create a warm and festive experience for your family. There is ample parking and the studio is easy to find!

Booking for the San Diego Santa Experience opens at the end of July 2025. Spots for these limited, private holiday photo sessions fill up quickly each year. To be the first to know when sessions are released, be sure to join our email list. We’ll send out early access and important booking details straight to your inbox.

This FAQ will be updated with direct booking links and additional information as we get closer to the release date. Don’t miss out—our Carlsbad Santa sessions are some of the most anticipated Christmas photo events in San Diego County!

The San Diego Santa Experience session fee is $490. This includes a 20-minute private, interactive photo session with Santa in our Carlsbad studio. Your child will enjoy a magical experience with specially designed prompts and activities that help capture genuine smiles, joy, and wonder.

Each session is thoughtfully planned to ensure a fun and memorable holiday experience—perfect for Christmas photos in San Diego that you’ll treasure for years to come.

The booking fee/retainer of $245 for the San Diego Santa Experience is nonrefundable. Once you reserve your session, we strongly recommend marking your date and time on your calendar and planning accordingly.

Due to the limited nature of these holiday photo sessions—only one day of Santa sessions will be offered in 2025—there is no flexibility to reschedule or move your time slot. Sessions typically sell out quickly, and once booked, your reserved time cannot be adjusted.

Please be certain of your availability before booking to ensure a smooth and magical Santa photo experience in San Diego.

If your child is sick on the day of their San Diego Santa Experience, please contact us immediately. For the health and safety of all clients (and Santa!), do not bring a sick child to the studio. Any child who appears visibly ill will not be permitted to enter.

If your child is unwell, your nonrefundable booking fee can be credited toward a future session within 12 months of your originally scheduled Santa session date. However, no-shows without notice will result in a forfeiture of the booking fee/retainer.

We understand that illnesses happen, especially during the holiday season, and we’ll do our best to work with you while maintaining a safe environment for all families participating in our Carlsbad Santa photo sessions.

Each Santa Experience session includes 20 private minutes with Santa Claus at our Carlsbad, California studio. This dedicated time allows for meaningful interactions, plenty of festive fun, and magical photo opportunities.

We use a variety of carefully planned prompts and activities to help engage your child—whether they’re full of excitement or need a little time to warm up. This relaxed, unrushed approach makes our San Diego Santa photo sessions ideal for children of all personalities, including those who may be a bit shy at first.

The Santa Experience is best suited for children over the age of 3, as the interactive session with Santa relies on your child’s ability to engage and respond to prompts.

If your child is under 3 years old or you're booking for siblings with varying ages, we recommend reaching out for a quick consultation before booking. We’ll help determine if the session is the right fit for your child’s age and temperament.

Keep in mind, age isn’t always the deciding factor—you know your child best! If you suspect your little one may need extra support, please come camera-ready just in case you need to step in for cuddles or to join the photos.

Our San Diego Santa Experience sessions are thoughtfully styled to create timeless, storybook-quality artwork and storybook albums you’ll treasure forever.

After booking, you'll receive a detailed wardrobe guide with suggestions on what to wear and where to shop for beautiful children’s clothing that photographs well. We highly suggest ordering outfits as soon as you have booked your session as some boutiques online have long lead times.

Families have the option to dress their children in classic holiday pajamas, casual winter outfits, or formal holiday attire—whichever best suits your style and vision. The goal is to keep the look cohesive and elegant to match the magic of your Carlsbad Santa photo session.

Because holiday photos are time-sensitive, we aim to have you view and select your images as soon as possible after your San Diego Santa Experience session.

All sessions are held on a Saturday, and you’ll have two convenient options to review your photos:

In-person viewing appointment on Sunday (the next day) at our Carlsbad studio.

Zoom ordering appointment scheduled within 2–5 days following your session.

Please note that we do not offer online galleries. Viewing your images together allows us to help you choose the best photos for your holiday cards, prints, and keepsake albums—ensuring a smooth and personalized experience.

All photo orders from your San Diego Santa Experience will be placed during your scheduled ordering appointment, either in person at our Carlsbad studio or via Zoom.

It’s essential that all decision-makers be present during this appointment, as this is the time you'll select your favorite images and choose from our holiday print products, Christmas cards, and keepsake albums. We recommend not bringing young children to the appointment so you can focus without distractions.

Each ordering session is scheduled for 1.5 hours, giving you ample time to review your images and make selections. Just like your photo session, punctuality is important to ensure a smooth and enjoyable process.

Our San Diego Santa Experience sessions are designed to create heirloom-quality holiday memories that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. We offer a beautiful selection of professional photography products that go far beyond standard prints.

You’ll be able to view product samples in person during your ordering appointment, so you can choose what best fits your family and home. Our offerings include:

Heirloom storybook albums personalized with your child’s Santa photos and a custom-written story to accompany the images

High-resolution digital image packages

Fine art prints and wall art (perfect for holiday home décor!)

Additional gift items and keepsakes

All products are professionally crafted to preserve the magic of your Orange County Santa photo session and make perfect gifts for grandparents and loved ones during the holiday season.

Your $490 session fee for the San Diego Santa Experience is split into two payments:

A $245 non-refundable retainer is due at the time of booking to reserve your spot.

The remaining $245 balance is due one week prior to your scheduled session.

Included in your session fee is your choice of:

2 professionally edited digital images, OR a $200 product credit to be used toward any of our prints, albums, or digital image packages

Image Collections

(Available for Digital Download)

*All images are artistically master retouched in the painterly fine art style seen on this page. These images are one of a kind pieces of artwork. They pair perfectly with our curated list of printed products, including our signature, custom designed, “Magical Moments with Santa” storybook; a unique keepsake that includes your child’s name and storyline that accompanies your images. Additional collections and full product guide sent after booking.

• Single a la carte image: $150

• 5-image collection: $490

• 10-image collection: $890

Because the San Diego Santa Experience sessions are time-sensitive, especially for holiday cards and gifts, we work quickly and efficiently behind the scenes to ensure fast turnaround.

Once your order is placed during your viewing appointment, we begin processing it right away. Most prints, digital images, albums, and holiday products are ready within 2–3 weeks, depending on the specific items ordered.

Our goal is to deliver your Christmas photo products in plenty of time for holiday mailing, gifting, and displaying in your home. You'll receive detailed updates throughout the process so you always know when to expect your order.

No we do not allow phones or cameras during the session. Please respect this rule in the studio.

Yes, parents are absolutely welcome to quietly observe their child’s Santa Experience session at our Carlsbad studio. Once you arrive, you’ll be directed to a designated seating area where you can comfortably watch the session unfold.

To help create a magical, calm environment focused on your child’s interaction with Santa, we kindly ask that:

Cell phones are turned off before entering the studio. No photos or videos are taken during the session — no exceptions

Parents remain quiet and avoid interacting or giving directions to the children during their time with Santa

Our trained team are experienced in working with children and know how to gently guide the session to capture authentic, joyful expressions. The goal is to keep your child immersed in the magic of the Santa photo experience, without distractions or coaching from the sidelines.

Yes! Parents are welcome to be included in a few family photos during the Santa Experience session. If you'd like to be photographed with your child and Santa, we’ll reserve a few minutes at the end of your private session for those special moments.

Please let us know in advance if you’d like to be part of the session so we can plan accordingly and ensure a smooth experience.

These heartwarming parent-and-child Santa photos make beautiful holiday keepsakes and are perfect for Christmas cards, framed prints, or storybook albums from your Carlsbad Santa photo session.

It’s not uncommon for young children to be a little unsure or even afraid during their first Santa photo experience—and that’s okay! Our team, including Santa, his assistant, and the photographer, is highly experienced in working with children of all ages and temperaments.

We use a variety of gentle, child-friendly prompts and techniques to help your child feel safe and comfortable during their San Diego Santa Experience session. If your child is especially shy or becomes upset, we may ask you to step in for a few comforting moments—or even join the photos.

If you suspect your child may be nervous, just let us know ahead of time. We recommend that you come dressed and photo-ready just in case you need to be included in the session. Our goal is always to create a calm, magical environment and capture natural, genuine expressions, whatever they may be.

We will be sending a small gift home with each child, but if you want to provide your own gift, please feel free! You can give it to us ahead of time and it can be placed in Santa’s bag and given to your child.