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Some adoring kids can't wait to jump onto the lap of Richard Barr, known to Pittsburgh Mills patrons simply as Santa Claus. Other kids -- many frightened, crying and even screaming -- need a lot more TLC to warm up to St. Nick and his ho-ho-ho-ing.

Barr, being the jolly elf he is, often gets down on the floor by his throne to play with toys, to put the kids at ease. Most of the kids come around, and many initiate a hug on their way out.

"You just smile and laugh," says Barr, who also gets the occasional teen or adult lap-sitter. "We just try to do everything we can to make the kids happy. The big thing is making them smile.

"It's just amazing how sweet some of these children are," Barr says. "It's a blessing to be with the children. ... I just love it."

The ritual of parents taking their children to sit on Santa Claus' lap, and tell him what toys they hope he'll put under their Christmas tree, forms one of childhood's most precious memories. Children's reactions to Santa Claus come as varied as their personalities: Some jump up and down when they see Santa; others bury their faces in their parents' thighs.

Barr says parents can maximize the joy of their child's visit to Santa Claus by taking some precautions before the lap-sitting moment. Hungry and tired kids, or small children whose diapers need changing, rarely have fun anywhere, he says.

"The big thing is, make sure that they're rested and that they've had something to eat," Barr says. "When they come here and they're hungry or tired, we can't get any good pictures or have any good conversations."

Try to expose the kids to Santa before actually placing them on his lap, maybe by walking past Santa's station at the mall a few times, Barr recommends. This helps kids get used to Santa before they actually see him close up.

"If they're not accustomed to doing new things, it's kind of difficult," Barr says. "Make some passes; come by when you're shopping. Just come by and talk to me. Then, they're better. That just warms it up."

Children should come with a prepared, written list, Barr says, lest they find themselves in a situation like a scene from "A Christmas Story." In that scene, Ralphie forgets about the gift he craves -- the Red Ryder gun -- and, in a daze, nods when Santa asks Ralphie if he wants a football. Ralphie frantically climbs back up a slide to correct his mistake with Santa.

Santa Claus at Ross Park Mall, whose name away from the North Pole is Bob Bailey, has been working as Santa for a decade. He recommends that parents take photos of their kids on Santa's lap during the first 30 seconds. If they wait longer, the child might start crying.

Most of the time, nervous or ambivalent children will come around when Santa speaks to them and puts them at ease. If an upset child doesn't calm down soon, though, Bailey recommends trying again on another day. Don't force a child to approach Santa, he says.

In order to avoid long lines, Bailey recommends that families arrive in the morning, when the mall opens. The lines can grow significantly as the day goes on, he says.

Holding hundreds of children on his lap and hearing their Christmas wishes brings great joy to Santa, he says.

"I love it; I have a ball with these children," Bailey says. "It's not a job; it's a privilege to be with them."

TIPS

Santa has seen it all: the wigglers, the squirmers, the criers and the over-askers. Every kind of kid has taken a turn on Kris Kringle's lap.

Here's some advice to parents from one expert about how to best prepare your young one for a visit with Santa. Tim Connaghan, who owns holiday event company The Kringle Group, suggests:

Prepare

Talk to your son or daughter before the visit with the man in the red suit. Generally speaking, they're not supposed to talk to strangers, so show them that Santa is a known character.

Books, animated films and television programs can help take the mystery away from the man.

Watch other kids

While waiting in line with your child for the visit, encourage your child to watch their peers interact with Santa. They'll get the idea that there's nothing to be scared of.

"See that Santa's a nice person, and there's a nice situation there," Connaghan says.

Focus on the big picture

Encouraging your child to sit on somebody's lap and rattle off a wish list could send the wrong message to your child: that Christmas is all about them and what they want.

"I like it when parents can tell the children that this is the season of giving," Connaghan says. He suggests asking your child whether he or she would like to buy a present for a child at a homeless shelter or drop off canned goods at a collection site.

Make them comfortable

Avoid discomfort that might make children irritable, such as overdressing them in winter-themed clothing when they are spending a lot of time waiting in line in an overheated mall.

Connaghan suggests asking Santa's camera crew what time to come to avoid the really long lines.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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