Boy sits on Santa’s knee, smiling as he gently tugs Santa’s beard during a cozy Christmas mini session at Catriona Hope Photography’s studio in Sherwood Park.

Family portraits first… then Santa arrives—bells and all.

Christmas & Santa Mini Sessions

The Perfect Santa Mini — $195
A cozy 20-minute studio session designed for real smiles—family portraits first, then Santa arrives.

Limited dates: November 30 • December 7 • December 14

Child offers a toy truck to Santa during an interactive, sensory-friendly studio warm-up.

Your best-ever Santa experience — no mall lines, just real smiles

Our Santa minis are designed to feel calm, simple, and easy. When you arrive, the studio is already set with several cozy Christmas “walls” — twinkling trees, a warm fireplace and rustic barn details — plus real sleds, presents and toys that kids can actually touch and interact with.

We start with family portraits, then Santa joins once everyone has had a chance to settle in. After your session, you’ll receive a curated proof gallery and get to choose your favourite 8 images to download, all included in your Christmas mini.

Take a peek inside the studio

A quick walk-through of our Sherwood Park Christmas studio — warm lights, real trees, storybook chairs and toys kids can actually play with.

What’s included in your Christmas mini

The Authentic, Interactive Event

  • 20-minute studio session in our cozy Sherwood Park home studio

  • Family portraits first, then Santa arrives for gentle, child-led moments

  • Curated proof gallery with 8 digital images included — you choose your favourites

  • If you fall in love with more than eight, extra images and full-gallery upgrades are available as simple add-ons

  • Pajamas welcome for a second look if you’d like a cozy “Christmas morning” feel in a few images

Girl reads a Christmas book with Santa while her parents smile beside them in a festive studio
Young family huddled closely together on the floor in a festive Christmas room, surrounded by holiday decorations
Parents and toddler smile with Santa beside them on a fur-draped seat in a festive setting
Two girls read a Christmas story as Santa leans in, their faces softly lit by the book
Mother with two children smiling close together in a festive studio by the Christmas tree.
Santa smiles while a young child explores a red toy truck with tiny drawers in a festive studio

Ready to Book Your Santa Mini?

Loved what you saw in the gallery?

Our Santa minis take place in a calm Sherwood Park studio with family portraits first, then Santa arrives for genuine smiles—perfect for shy, sensitive or wildly excited little ones.

Christmas minis work best for families of up to six people (no pets for these sessions).

Prefer to ask a few questions first?

How It Works

  • 1

    Book a time. Choose one of the three Sundays and tell us who’s coming.

  • 2

    Arrive 5 minutes early; we keep sessions calm and on schedule.

  • 3

    Enjoy the flow: portraits first; then Santa arrives—bells and all.

  • 4

    Pick your favourites from the proof gallery; we hand-edit and deliver.

Booking & Payment

With only three Sundays available, sessions tend to book quickly, and once a time is taken we can’t duplicate it.

Reserve your session with a deposit, payable by e-Transfer, Visa or Mastercard through our secure booking system.

FAQs

Coordinated neutrals, soft textures, layers; skip big logos/neon. Pajamas welcome for a second look.

Your session includes a curated proof gallery and a set of favourite images to download. If you end up loving more than what’s included, you can add extra images or even unlock the full gallery. Add-ons are available individually or in small bundles, with a full-gallery upgrade for families who want every moment.

Individual extra images, small bundles, and a full-gallery upgrade are available (for example: $19 each, 5 for $75, 10 for $120, or a full-gallery upgrade at $195).   Investment Page

We build in small pauses and keep direction light. Late arrivals may shorten the session to stay on schedule. If a child is nervous, Santa is patient and will allow distance (e.g., sitting across a chair).

Please keep them tucked away so everyone can relax. We’ll capture it all.

We aim to have your proof gallery ready in about a week after your session. For families who book in late November or early December, that usually gives comfortable time to choose your favourite 8 images and use them for cards or gifts. Sessions closer to mid-December will still have images ready to share digitally before Christmas, but printed products will depend on where you order from and their holiday cut-off dates.

Christmas minis are designed for smaller groups — up to six people works best in our studio space and timing. This keeps things calm, cozy and gives us room to move. For everyone’s comfort (and allergies), we’re not able to include pets in Santa minis. If you’re dreaming of photos with your dog, reach out and we can chat about a separate outdoor or studio session.

  • Honest words from the families we’ve photographed.

Smiling family of three with their Teddy bear during a warm, indoor Christmas mini session.

“I highly recommend Catriona Hope Photography! … She’s so fun and welcoming and makes the experience so comfortable and authentic. I always get so many great photos… it’s always hard to pick which ones I want in the package.”

— Christine

  • Verified Google review