Christmas Magic Has Returned to Pixels by Emily
Registration for Our 2026 Santa Season is Officially Open
Christmas magic has returned to Pixels by Emily, and registration for our 2026 Santa season is officially open.
Each year, we look for meaningful ways to make this tradition feel even more personal—not by adding more for the sake of more, but by creating small details that help families remember exactly who their children were in this season. The wonder in their faces. The stories they tell Santa. The little hands reaching for an ornament. The height they will never be again.
This year brings new keepsakes, beloved traditions, and three ways for families to visit Santa: the full Magical Santa Experience, Simply Santa, and Revisit.
A Christmas Story Created Around Your Child
The Magical Santa Experience is a one-hour, story-led visit designed to give children time to settle into the wonder of Santa's world. Rather than rushing through a single pose, families watch a Christmas story unfold through natural moments, thoughtful interactions, and portraits created to preserve the magic long after the season ends.
For certain artwork selections, families may choose Emily's signature painting and custom texture enhancements. This specialized finishing brings an additional layer of depth and artistry to the portrait, creating a timeless, storybook quality that feels at home among the traditions your family brings out and treasures each Christmas.
The 2026 Magical Santa Experience is offered on:
October 18, 24 and 25
November 7, 8, 14, 15, and 28
December 5 and 6
The Magical Santa Experience is $795. Registration begins with a discovery call so we can help you choose the right experience and artwork for your family.
New Keepsakes for 2026
This year's new keepsakes were chosen to hold onto the details children outgrow far too quickly.
Children visiting during an October Magical Santa Experience may choose a complimentary Steiff or GUND teddy bear, included for up to two children. With several styles available, each child can select the bear that feels most like their own—a memorable keepsake to carry home from their time with Santa.
Teddy bears may also be added to non-October experiences, or purchased as additional keepsakes, for $45 each.
A timeless wooden toy may also be added for $50, creating another tangible piece of the experience to enjoy long after the visit is over.
Every experience includes a glass ornament with a meaningful detail tucked inside. Santa will measure each child and cut a ribbon to that exact height. The ribbon—marked with the child's name, height, and year—is placed inside the ornament to hang on the tree. Every Christmas, families can unroll it and remember just how little their child was when they stood beside Santa in 2026.
It is a simple detail, but perhaps one of the most meaningful: a piece of childhood measured and saved.
A Santa Visit for Every Kind of Tradition
For families wanting the complete story and time to experience every detail, the Magical Santa Experience offers the full one-hour visit.
For those who would like a brief, beautiful visit with Santa, Simply Santa is a 10-minute experience that includes an 8×10 double-sided mounted print. Simply Santa is $250 and will be offered on November 29 and December 19.
For families who have already experienced MSE and want to return to continue their tradition, Revisit will be offered on November 21.
Help Another Family Experience the Magic
Christmas magic is even more meaningful when it is shared.
Local businesses, families, and community members may sponsor either a Simply Santa visit or the full Magical Santa Experience for another family. If you know a local family who could use a little extra Christmas joy this year, you may also nominate them to receive a sponsored Simply Santa session. Share a little about the family through the nomination form, and we'll take it from there.
Make This Christmas Part of Their Story
The years of believing are brief. The traditions, artwork, and tiny details we preserve from them are what allow the wonder to return.
We cannot wait to welcome your family into the 2026 Santa season at Pixels by Emily. Dates are limited, and families hoping to make this year's magic part of their Christmas story are encouraged to begin planning early.