Cybelle Cortez manages a big smile even while her children, Eliana, 1, and Caleb, 2, don’t want to cooperate. They were visiting Santa at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, December 21, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Looking angelic in Santa’s arms, 6-week-old Lottie Leurentop gets her first picture with Santa at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, December 21, 2025.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Mackenzie Dern’s 6-year-old daughter, Moa, and her 140-pound cane corso, Mack Butterfly, find out that the wait time to visit Santa Is 3.5 hours. Dern, an Ultimate Fighting World Champion (UFC), said she was going to make the best of it and get lunch. They were at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, December 21, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Cybelle Cortez manages a big smile even while her children, Eliana, 1, and Caleb, 2, don’t want to cooperate. They were visiting Santa at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, December 21, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Six-year-old Moa Dern and her 140-pound cane corso, Mack Butterfly, wait to get their photo taken with Santa at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, December 21, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ryan Grnereux’s 7-months-old daughter, Lila, can’t contain her excitement while going for a merry-go-round ride while Santa takes a break at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, December 21, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Harlow Gu, 8 months, sits with Santa at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, December 21, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
South Coast Plaza visitors have plenty of holiday displays to look at while they wait to get their photos taken with Santa on Sunday, December 21, 2025.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Daniel Mirejovsky, 18, manages to fit on Santa’s lap as he and his sisters, Eva, 12, left, and Vera, 15, get their annual South Coast Plaza Christmas photo taken in Costa Mesa on Sunday, December 21, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
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Looking angelic in Santa’s arms, 6-week-old Lottie Leurentop gets her first picture with Santa at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, December 21, 2025.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
At 6 weeks old, little Lottie Leurentop might not remember her visit with Santa Claus on Sunday at South Coast Plaza. But her parents will.
A photo and maybe a few minutes going over wishlists with Santa is a tradition for so many families, and plenty of them have been squeezing in visits with the big guy at Orange County’s malls ahead of Christmas Day.
South Coast Plaza has two elaborately decorated Santa experiences, one in the Carousel Court in the main section of the mall and one across Bear Street in the Macy’s Home Store Wing.
He’ll be in residence through Christmas Eve at several of the area’s shopping centers — we don’t ask questions about how that is possible, just be sure to check local websites for times and more information.
