Pet Photos With Santa? Really?

I guess if you don't have any kids, you know, REAL kids, there's no actual harm in dragging your dog into a mall and plopping him down on a beleaguered Santa's lap for a photo shoot. This practice has been going on for years. But hasn't the novelty worn off?

The first few hundred people to do this then include the picture of a labrador crushing Santa's private parts on the front of a self-made Christmas card had a certain unexpected charm, I'm sure. By 2011 though doesn't it just seem a bit, I don't know, what's the word, ... stupid? At least most places that do this have the good sense of having set aside special hours/nights only for pets. I know a parent who waited in line with her children to see Santa and some nitwit straight out of the movie "Best In Show" had a dog in front of her. A dog who proceeded to squat, clench and let loose right there on the red carpet her kids had to wait on. Real nice, lol. Take a look at these pooches who recently visited a Santa in New Jersey.

Look not at the faces of the pet 'parents' but at the faces of the dogs. Doesn't exactly scream Christmas cheer, does it? Bah-humbug.