70 Nebraskaland • December 2019
By Jeff Kurrus
THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
I'm not a portrait photographer. I can trip my way through
strobes and indoor lighting, but millions do it better. However,
that doesn't stop me from volunteering to photograph Santa
Claus each year at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park.
This year, on Dec. 14, there will be a line of families that
stretch throughout the Peter Kiewit Lodge, so their little
people can have a chance to sit in Santa's lap while I try to
coerce them to smile just long enough to shine a gigantic
light in their eyes to make their moms and dads happy.
It's an on-your-feet, rapid-fire, four-hour blur.
Except when a kid decides that smiling for the camera is
absolutely out of the question. At that moment, my joy meter
kicks up another notch and I pray to freeze time.
The cries, as well as the tears, come in a variety of sizes.
That uncomfortable, how-can-I-get-away-from-this-white-
bearded-man scoot begins to occur, as their parents try to
quickly decide how much screaming is too much screaming.
These train wreck moments are my happiest times, but
they are short-lived. Out of the hundreds of kids that will
sit on Santa's lap on Dec. 14, only a few will grant my
wish, while the overwhelming majority will smile at the
cameraman, take their candy cane and give Santa a big hug
on their way toward Christmas.
Good news is that my newborn will be 5 months old by
then. Maybe, just maybe, my wife will want to get some
photos of his first visit with Santa.
THE LAST STOP
PHOTOS
BY
JEFF
KURRUS
