There are two shopping malls in Union County and three within a 20 miles radius of Linden, New Jersey. All of them offer the classic Santa Claus photo opportunity for the little children. It is a holiday tradition as old as time. We all have our first memories sitting on Santa’s lap opening up about our material desires.

However, today, it can feel like less of a tradition and more of an investment. Basically put, most shopping centers allow the child in for free but hit the parents with a fee if they plan on taking that memory home (i.e., pictures). So, it’s a good idea to do as much research as possible ahead of time before committing to a particular Santa experience. As of recently, Menlo Park Mall in Edison, New Jersey, is advertising their photo package for just under $40 with a $10 deposit. Interestingly enough, Woodbridge Center Mall in Woodbridge, New Jersey, has a package advertised at $72 (discounted with a reservation). The statistically busiest of the three, The Outlet Collection, better known as Jersey Gardens, does not advertise their price through the normal channels. The only other shopping mall in Union County, The Mall at Short Hills advertises their package for $49 with several add-ons available.

The City of Linden, New Jersey, and Mayor Derek Armstead have set out to combat the overpriced pictures with Santa for their residents. They provided an afternoon with Santa Claus completely free of charge. All the little smiling faces had their opportunity to tell Jolly Saint Nick what they wanted for Christmas and even got a picture printed out courtesy of the municipality. There were also arts and crafts, games, and cookies just to round out the day. Not only did the parents save the money on the pictures, they also saved a trip to the overcrowded malls in December.

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