Parting Shot — 12.15.11

A man tries to persuade a small child not to get away from a person dressed as Santa Claus after the child receives a chocolate bar in an attempt to photograph them together at a shopping mall in Bucharest, Romania, today. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Question: Did you ever take your kids to see a department store Santa Claus? Was it a good experience for them? Did they melt down? Or did they freeze up like Ralphie in “A Christmas Story”?