Inside the Claus Kitchen: The Sweetest Christmas Photo Experience Around Charlotte, NC
If you’ve ever wished you could bottle up the magic of Christmas morning — the giggles, the sparkle in your kids’ eyes, the cookie dough on their noses — this is it. Welcome to The Claus Kitchen, a one-of-a-kind, hands-on holiday experience where Santa and Mrs. Claus invite your little ones to step right into their gingerbread workshop for a memory that’s every bit as sweet as it sounds.
Forget awkward smiles in front of a fake backdrop — these sessions are interactive, immersive, and deliciously fun. Think: real rolling pins, cookie cutters, frosting, and flour flying as your children laugh their way through baking with the jolliest couple in the North Pole.
And yes — every bit of it makes for the most magical Christmas photos you’ll ever have.
What Makes Gingerbread Santa Sessions So Special
At Erin Wilwert Photography, I believe the best photos are born from real moments — and that’s exactly what these sessions are built for.
The Claus Kitchen is a cozy, storybook-style Christmas set designed to look like you’ve just stepped into Santa’s home. It’s full of nostalgic holiday details: twinkling lights, red and green accents, mixing bowls, cookie sheets, and a gingerbread house ready for decorating. Mrs. Claus helps the kids mix ingredients, roll dough, and cut out cookie shapes, while Santa joins in to share a story, sneak a little cookie dough, and sprinkle in some North Pole magic.
By the time you’re done, you’ll have a camera roll (and a heart) overflowing with sweet, joy-filled memories — plus a decorated gingerbread house your child gets to take home!
What to Expect During Your Claus Kitchen Experience
Each session is structured to keep things smooth, fun, and stress-free — because the holidays already have enough chaos, right?
Here’s how it works:
Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus: Your child gets a warm, personal welcome from the Clauses themselves — no rushed “next in line” energy here.
Baking Time: Kids dive right into the experience, stirring, mixing, and cutting out dough with guidance (and giggles) from Mrs. Claus.
Storytime and Decorating: While the “cookies” bake, Santa settles in for a story before the decorating begins. Expect frosting, sprinkles, and sticky little fingers — all part of the fun.
Take-Home Treat: Each child leaves with their very own gingerbread house — a festive keepsake (if it makes it home without being nibbled on).
These sessions last just long enough to capture every magical moment without overwhelming your little elves — the perfect balance of festive energy and heartwarming calm.
How to Dress for the Gingerbread Sessions
This setup photographs beautifully with cozy, timeless outfits. Think classic Christmas jammies, cable knit sweaters, or vintage holiday attire. Coordinated colors like cream, red, green, and tan always pop beautifully against the kitchen backdrop.
If you want to lean into the baking theme, aprons are always adorable (bonus points for matching ones!). And don’t stress too much about perfection — a little flour on a sweater or frosting on a cheek only adds to the charm.
Why Families Love These Sessions
Aside from the absolutely adorable photos, parents tell me again and again that this experience is different — in the best possible way. It’s not just about posing for a photo; it’s about creating real Christmas memories your children will talk about all season long.
They get to truly spend time with Santa — not just sit on his lap for thirty seconds. They laugh, they play, and they walk away believing in magic just a little bit longer.
And you? You get professional photos that reflect that joy — the kind that instantly transport you back to that day every time you see them on your wall.
Why You Should Book Early
Here’s the catch — because these sessions are so hands-on and personal, spots are extremely limited. Only a handful of families get the chance to join Santa and Mrs. Claus in the kitchen each season.
That means if this sounds like your family’s kind of Christmas magic (and trust me, it is), now’s the time to grab your spot before they’re gone faster than Santa’s plate of cookies.
Booking is simple — just head to Erin Wilwert Photography’s Mini Session Offerings.
