Taking a baby or toddler to meet Santa for the first time can be a fun experience for parents, but it doesn’t always go as planned. Two-year-old Frankie’s mom, Alison, was excited to take him and his best friend, Golden Retriever Beau, to get their photos taken with the big guy in red. As it turns out, only one of them ended up with a truly happy picture.
In the clip, Alison gently places Frankie next to Beau, who’s already sitting calmly and happily by Santa. It takes less than a second for Frankie to decide he’s not a fan of Santa at all, and he quickly bursts into tears. Luckily, the photographer captures the moment, though only two of the three are smiling!
We’re huge fans of those pictures of kids crying on Santa’s lap, and Frankie’s picture is holiday-card-worthy because it’s real. Most parents have at least one picture of their kids with that same face! We do, and it’s one of our favorite holiday photos ever!
We laughed when Frankie’s mom said simply, “Beau stole the show.” He certainly did; his photo with Santa was adorable!
Related: Golden Retriever’s Priceless Holiday Photos With Santa Are Totally Holiday-Card Worthy
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Funny Reactions to Beau and Frankie Meeting Santa
Like us, viewers got a kick out of both Beau and Frankie’s reactions to Santa. @Sean Liam Reilly said what Beau was thinking, ”I’m gonna get sooo many toys for being good.” @MJ added, “The smile on the dog’s face is everything!”
@JoseHernandez shared, “The dog is like, ‘Can you please remove him so I can take this picture with Santa?!’ LOL!”
Commenter @Amy1998 shared a photo of her pup and said, “My dog loved meeting Santa. The other kids in line not so much lmao!”
Not all pets react to Santa the way Beau did. Some may feel frightened by him since he’s unfamiliar, dressed unusually, and often speaks in a voice they’ve never heard before. If that happens, don’t force your dog to pose for a pic; instead, let them approach Santa on their own terms, only if and when they’re comfortable.
This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Dec 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.