Santa photos at the Shop in Glen have long been a Christmas tradition for the youth of Glen Innes.
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But business owners Peter Davis said that, increasingly, grandparents and parents are sending photos with the man in red to their kids that have left town.
He said after nine years of running the town's Santa photo service, he's got to know some young ones.
"We've had the same children coming back year after year after year, which is great. You see them grow up," he said.
The proceeds of a photo with an animal go to the RSPCA's Santa Paws competition. If the photo just people, the money goes to Rotary.
"I don't think Santa should be a profit-making organisation; anything to do with profit," said Peter.
"I think Santa should be something that's free for the kids."
Their fundraiser netted $2000 for the charities this year, with about one-quarter going to the RSPCA. Around 200 groups of people had their photo taken before Christmas
"We've had an increase in senior population getting photos to send to their grandkids, lately," said Peter
"Over the last two years, more and more it was all families getting photos for their children each year."
Our modern image of Santa Claus, the red suit and big white beard, was developed for an ad campaign by Coca-Cola a century ago.
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