Santa photos at David Jones, Myer Adelaide stores range from $25 to $50 a session

Santa is getting ready to share the Christmas joy with his annual photo sessions for kids and pets – but here’s what it will cost families this year. VOTE NOW

Christmas joy comes at a high price with Santa photo shoots across Adelaide setting families back up to $50.

David Jones’ Magic Cave, which opened Saturday after the Adelaide Christmas Pageant, offers five-minute photo shoot sessions for families and pets.

To preserve the memory, parents will need to fork out $49.95 for the full package – with the cheapest deal listed at $24.95.

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River Francis-Staite, 8, and her sisters Meadow, 4, and Willow, 11 and Banjo the dog with Santa in David Jones. Picture: Russell Millard

That cost – which hasn’t risen since last year – includes complimentary houndstooth reindeer antlers and custom David Jones photo frame.

At David Jones, shoppers can choose between a standard photo session and a Sensitive Santa session to match the Santa to the temperament of their children, along with Pawtraits bookings for pets.

Myer at Adelaide, Marion and Tea Tree Plaza has also opened bookings for 10-minute Santaland sessions, priced from $29.95 with bookings until Christmas Eve, as well as Santa Paws (city store only) and Sensory Santa (city and Marion stores) experiences.

Smaller locations are offering Santa photo shoots for free such as at the Churchill Centre.

But some parents believe paying the price is worth it, with Kendall Francis-Staite, 37, from Sturt saying her family and pet photo shoot on Thursday was a wonderful experience.

Meadow Francis-Staite, 4, River 8, Willow, 11 and Banjo the dog with Santa. Picture: Russell Millard

“I remember going to the David Jones Magic Cave when I was a little girl and it is still just that,” Ms Francis-Staite said.

“It was super nostalgic walking in there, it literally takes you back to your childhood and I honestly think that it still feels as magical as it did back then and it gets you excited for Christmas.”

To bring more joy to the occasion, for the next two Fridays David Jones will offer PAWtrait sessions for pet owners wanting photographs of Santa with their beloved pets.

Ms Francis-Staite said she considered herself lucky as her family was one of the first to be photographed with their pet at David Jones in the city.

Her three daughters – Willow, 11, River, 8, and Meadow, 4 – were in the photo with the family’s pet groodle, Banjo.

“The fact that I could then take my kids and of course my dog, Banjo, it was just so extra special,” Ms Francis-Staite said.

“It will be such a good memory for them to be able to look back on.

“And Father Christmas was very good with the kids and the dog, he just chatted with them and asked them about their favourite thing, about Christmas and what they want, and he even spoke about the elves and the reindeer.”

WHAT YOU SAID

Gill Longstaff wrote on Facebook: “Well if we didn’t have Halloween and all the other celebrations we may have a little money left for Christmas. They keep putting prices up. If they dropped prices people could afford to buy more.”

Irene Jackson-dickens added: “People have lost the meaning of Christmas.”

Janine wrote: “Seriously! Well I definitely won’t be going to see Santa this year, nor will family and friends.”

Cynthia argued: “It should be free.”

Another said: “Retailmas strikes again.”