See Hilary Duff, Snooki and More Celebs' Kids Meet Santa Claus!

hilary duff at dog event
Presley Ann/Getty Images

It's that time of year to fawn or cry over Ol' Saint Nick!

Merry Christmas!

It's that time of year when children around the world get to hit the malls and meet Santa Claus. 

It's pretty much a right of passage, and some of the photos are just pure cuteness -- and others are nothing but crying babies and absolute fear.

Michael Phelps' brood was in the happy camp. All three of his sons rocked matching green-and-white striped pajamas to meet Kris Kringle. His oldest two -- Boomer, 3, and Beckett, 1 -- were beaming as they sat next to Mr. Claus, who was holding 3-month-old Maverick in his arms.

Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi's trio -- sons Lorenzo, 7, and Angelo, 6 months, and daughter Giovanna, 5 -- were also very excited about meeting Santa, and mom even jumped in the photo with them in her matching Christmas sweater.

Then there were kids like Hilary Duff's 1-year-old daughter, Banks, who was so terrified of Ol' Saint Nick that her big brother, Luca, 7, had to attempt to hold his sister up and keep her calm.

Regardless of the tots' reactions, all of the photos came out looking very sweet.

Check out even more pics with Santa Claus in the gallery below.

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