These Brothers Took The Same Picture With Santa Claus For 34 Years
Every Christmas, children from around the world gather for the traditional photo opportunity with the only man who can grant their holiday wishes: Santa Claus. On frigid days, they bring their gloved parents out to line up outside of ice skating rinks, malls, and, frankly, anywhere you may find a photo-friendly Santa. And the majority of them are content to go away with their photograph, which commemorates their wish and the most significant thing to them that year. But these two brothers didn’t want to take the same pictures as everyone else, so they began their tradition.
1984
Christmas is all about family, the beauty of the season, and, of course, gifts. Children understand that they must visit Santa Claus to receive the present they truly desire. After that, most kids don’t think further than opening presents and anticipating next year. But not for these two brothers…they looked far into the future and devised a strategy that would last for decades – with no end in sight!
1985
It’s only natural that what this tiny practice means to these brothers – and what it looks like – has evolved. They’ve tried sitting, standing, and everything in between with Santa. They’ve gone from laughing to crying to smiling.
1985
Their outfits (somewhat) altered, as did their shoes…at least, their shoe sizes. And, as you’ll see later, they’ve added some interesting new photographs to their collection in recent years!
1986
No one can convince Martin and Michael Gray that they’re too big to sit on Santa’s lap today. Despite some weird looks from onlookers nearby, these two adults with their own families team up to wait in line with the other children to have their moment – and their photo – with Santa Claus.
1986
And they’ve both been doing it since they were born, amassing quite the photo collection for their families – and now the world.
1988
Still, it’s difficult to pinpoint when this pastime became a tradition. Martin and Michael were much like the other kids when they were kids. But their parents never had to drag them there to get the picture they wanted because the boys loved every minute of it and realized it was a love they shared.
1988
It’s easy to imagine how special it is for two brothers to share a mutual devotion to a special time of year.
1989
The moment came when Santa could no longer bring them gifts because they were too big to fit on his lap. However, the custom has continued into adulthood, changing into something they like doing for their parents.
1989
Their parents didn’t have anything special in mind when it all started. They were simply taking their children to the same spot every parent takes them at Christmas: to visit Santa.
1991
Without a doubt, the Christmas spirit has always been present in brothers Michael and Martin Gray. They grew up in Holliston, Massachusetts, greeting Santa with their parents every Christmas season.
1991
Although the two boys were always eager to go, their parents expected them to grow tired of the ritual at some point. But they kept coming back.
1992
There’s no doubt that when Michael got braces in 1991, he felt like he was on his way to adulthood. He was leaving his younger brother behind in childhood, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t come to see Santa.
1992
He remained at Martin’s side year after year, although Santa could undoubtedly see by this point that Michael had outgrown his Santa-worshipping years. But that wasn’t going to detract from his Christmas enthusiasm.
1993
Julie and James Gray, the boys’ parents, realized that as the years passed, the boys would go through many various stages of life, which could lead to them drifting away from the practice.
1993
Kids grow so quickly, and to feel their age, they frequently disassociate from the things they were connected to when they were younger – it’s a natural part of life. As a result, they only expected that the boys would eventually lose interest in the trip.
1994
By 1994, the boys had grown so large that they nearly totally obscured Santa in their photographs. But they were determined to make them work, and who was Santa to stop them?
1994
He was undoubtedly delighted to wedge his large white beard between the two brothers and contribute to their expanding tradition. He might have recognized Michael’s favorite windbreaker from the previous year, which he wore again.
1995
Michael, who had already gone through the agony of braces in 1991, had to go through it all again in 1995. Although it was certainly difficult for him to see his younger brother wear that flawless smile, the genetic pool clearly didn’t come between the two of them – or Santa.
1995
But, like many 16-year-olds, he develops an interest in sports, as evidenced by the hat he refused to remove for the photograph – a welcome distraction from the mouth metal.
1996
Like many little brothers, Martin quickly followed Mike’s lead and began participating in sports. He discovered his favorite sport, declared his support for his favorite team, and even donned the jersey to show it to the rest of the world.
1996
They were definitely maturing, and when they went to see Santa that year, it was finally time for the two boys to step to the side and give Santa a turn to rest his elbows on their laps.
1998
By 1998, the Gray brothers had grown so big that sitting on or around Santa wasn’t much of an option anymore. Take this awkward lean-in, for example. Although everyone in the photo, including Santa, seemed to be moderately concerned about fitting inside the frame.
1998
That year, dressed in similar stripes, these two had their parent-pleasing radar on high alert. The clothes may not appear particularly noteworthy at first glance, but they will undoubtedly aid in some kind of introspection over time.
2000
The images show that these lads didn’t go through any insane fashion fads or changes over the years, though they roughly followed the trends of the moment. The brothers and their families didn’t need to search for fulfillment beyond quality time with family.
2000
Every year, their Christmas photos made a heartwarming addition to that – and evolved into a moment for the family to reflect on what had changed and what had remained the same.
2001
The stripes didn’t seem to be going away…it nearly looked like Martin stole Mike’s clothing from last year. But, more importantly, he now wears spectacles! Many young children struggle with the need for glasses, but they can’t take Martin’s smile away from the middle of his favorite tradition.
2001
Meanwhile, they couldn’t stop growing taller, so it was all right that Santa was sitting in a bigger chair these days.
2003
Finally, the boys appeared to be more professional in their presentation. Those cardigans and button-up shirts indicate that they’re thinking about their futures and how to be successful, even as they continue to enjoy their favorite childhood tradition.
2003
And that isn’t a phony smile; Santa appears to be overjoyed that the magic of Christmas is still being experienced by young and old alike.
2004
On the other hand, Martin may have reverted to a more casual look the next year, including the haircut (or lack thereof). What matters most is that they persisted.
2004
You have time to prepare when you know you’ll be joining your brother at the end of the year for a photo on Santa’s lap full of smiles. And wouldn’t it be a shame if two brothers got into a fight before their annual portrait? Certainly not these two.
2005
It’s clear from these photos that such an event never occurred for Michael and Martin, and their tradition is most likely to blame.
2005
Having something to look forward to with the people we love and treasure in our lives helps us prioritize the love – picking our battles wisely, giving the benefit of the doubt, and always putting our differences aside for the most lovely time of the year. That’s just what Santa and Uncle Jim Edgar would want.
2006
It appears that this is also what the Reddit community wants. The Grays decided to cover the wall with all of the annual Santa images one day.
2006
As guests visited them week after week and expressed their awe at the collection, the brothers realized that the rest of the world might be interested in seeing them, too, and uploaded the entire saga to Reddit, where over 355,000 people have clicked through in awe to see the photo collage.
2007
Despite tremendous support on the internet, the two mature guys have received many amusing glances from other youngsters and parents who question why children are waiting behind a couple of grown men.
2007
However, many other Santa fans find their presence delightful. With Michael labeling it “nerdy” and Martin calling it “an oddity,” they argue that, in the end, it’s not about what other people think.
2009
However, many other Santa fans find their presence delightful. With Michael calling it “nerdy” and Martin calling it “an abnormality,” they claim that, at the end of the day, it’s not real. We just continued doing it because she liked watching us pose with Santa. It makes her happy,” Martin stated, to which Mike added, “And we’re not going to quit anytime soon.”
2009
It was clear to see how delighted their parents were every year when they got to add a new photo to the collection – and when it’s that simple to do something to make your parents happy, why should you ever stop?
2010
In 2010, the brothers went one step further by matching sweaters for their annual Santa Claus tradition. This mother has hit the lotto regarding sons wanting to please their parents.
2010
They not only do this for her yearly but also appear to enjoy it. Plus, who can resist some amusing ugly Christmas sweaters? Santa appears to be having a good time with them.
2011
A year later, a taste of adulthood had finally brought the boys some “good sport” sports agreements. With brothers continuously battling and competing at home during their teens, there are few things more fraternal than participating in sports against each other.
2011
So that simply shows that as kids grow older, they put their differences aside and come together. This year, though, they welcomed a new team member…
2012
That’s right, Michael had introduced his new addition to the home team to the world, as well as their Santa Claus tradition! He had to wear the team’s winning colors, even if they had turned tropical island style in the middle of winter.
2012
Martin was soon to start his own family after the family ball got rolling, bringing a little girl into the world around the same time Mike added a daughter to his family…
2013
“I guess we’ll keep [the custom] going,” Michael added. “We chose to integrate them fully,” Martin says. “My prediction is that once they’re teenagers, they’ll detest us for it.”
2013
People expect the Gray brothers to carry on the tradition due to their Reddit posts, and they don’t want to disappoint them. It is amazing to know that some good things never change in a continuously changing world.
The Truth About Christmas
If the story of the Gray brothers teaches us anything, it’s that the Christmas spirit knows no age or limit. After years of growth, changes, and life’s many twists and turns, these brothers saw Christmas in a way that perfectly captures its spirit: a time for cherishing family, focusing on the good in the world, and finding ways to bring joy to those you care about.
The Truth About Christmas
And, in their case, an opportunity to celebrate a special bond that they both recognize as a blessing.