This content is sponsored by Macerich/HGTV’s Santa HQ. All opinions are my own.

When is the best time to visit Santa?

Our daughters are six years apart and have very different personalities. Our oldest always had her holiday wish list prepared months in advance with a very clear plan of what she wanted to tell Santa Claus at the first opportunity of a visit. Most years we also knew about her Santa request well ahead of the holiday season. Little sister rocks our world and is completely opposite of her big sister. The Christmas season has been extra special because at four, everything is amazing. Elf on the Shelf, our magical reindeer she named Mittens, all the holiday performances, a daily advent calendar and so many shopping magazines full of her little squiggly marker circles have added to my long list of reasons why I love this age. She asks to check the mail every morning in hopes that Santa has sent her more catalogs to update her wish list. I’m guessing we are nowhere near the appropriate age to let her know those “books” are actually just marketing material and weren’t really escorted by reindeer and elves to the North pole post office. Fortunately, a Santa visit by appointment is available every time little sister needs to refresh him on her list. Our visit to HGTV’s Santa HQ at Chandler Fashion Square mall was not our first visit to Santa this season but most definitely our last now that Santa has little sister’s most current wish. We’ve already explained Santa and his elves have so much work to do that her visit would be the last before the big day. Of course that communication came by magical mail surely sent by floating snowflakes all the way from the North Pole. To all the parents of spirited children, I’m with you. Determining the best time to visit Santa Claus is a call you need to make based on your own family dynamic. For our home, seeing him early in the season worked for one child but most definitely not the other.

With so many great interactive experiences, the Santa HQ fun begins when you arrive. We stopped for elf photos before making it inside.

Last year’s Santa visit came with a big surprise for little sister. Convinced her big sister might not be on the nice list, she was so excited to learn they both were on the right side of the Santa HQ naughty or nice meter. This visit came with a sigh of relief when little sister confirmed she was on the nice list again.

There’s a variety of photo packages families can choose from and we came home with images to share in family holiday cards.