June 29, 2022

St. Nicholas Storybook Experience Ottawa

Posted in: Children, Christmas Sessions, Magical

St. Nicholas Storybook Experience in Ottawa - Child with St. Nicholas in festive studio."
The Saint Nicholas Experience Sonia Gourlie Fine Art Photography, Ottawa Ontario

Welcome to the St. Nicholas Storybook Experience in Ottawa—a magical holiday tradition that brings the wonder of Christmas to life. This one-of-a-kind portrait session allows your children to interact with St. Nicholas in a beautifully styled setting, creating memories that will last a lifetime. Book today to give your family an unforgettable Christmas experience!

A Magical Christmas Adventure for Your Little Ones

The St. Nicholas Storybook Experience is more than just a Christmas portrait session—it’s a journey into the magic and wonder of the holiday season. Hosted at our professional portrait studio in North Gower, Ontario (just 15 minutes from central Ottawa), this one-of-a-kind interactive experience will make your child truly believe in the spirit of Christmas.

An Enchanting Private Session

During this exclusive, full-room experience, your children will:

  • Meet and interact with St. Nicholas in a beautifully decorated vintage-style setting.
  • Share their Christmas wishes and discover if their names are on the Nice List.
  • Peek inside St. Nicholas’s magical red bag and see the Northern Lights through his enchanted kaleidoscope.
  • Enjoy milk and cookies with St. Nicholas while learning about the North Pole and his reindeer.
  • Help paint a magical toy in his workshop and read a festive story together.

The best part? This is a fully private experience—no waiting in line like at the mall. Parents can relax with a complimentary hot chocolate bar and homemade gingerbread cookies while witnessing the magic unfold.

A Personalized Touch

We pride ourselves on creating a customized experience for each child. Before your session, we’ll have a phone consultation to learn more about your child—their likes, dislikes, and Christmas wishes. This helps St. Nicholas make the experience truly special and memorable.

Two weeks before the session, your child will receive a personalized letter from St. Nicholas on authentic North Pole stationery, inviting them to his magical workshop in North Gower. This little touch makes the experience even more magical and unforgettable.

The Session Experience

Your 60-minute private session is filled with enchanting moments:

  • Storytelling, laughter, and magical surprises with St. Nicholas.
  • Beautiful heirloom portraits captured in a painterly, fine art style by international award-winning photographer Sonia Gourlie.
  • Exclusive, hand-finished art pieces that you can display each Christmas for generations.

During the session, your children will also receive Santa’s Magical Reindeer Dust and their own Polar Express Reindeer Bell as keepsakes of this unforgettable experience.

Fine Art Portraits – Timeless Christmas Keepsakes

Following your session, you’ll be invited to an ordering appointment (in-studio or virtual for out-of-town clients) to view your portraits. You can select from:

  • The Basic Christmas Storybook Package – $599 + tax
    • Three 8×10 mounted fine art prints (matted to 11×14, ready for framing).
    • Accompanying digital files of the three portraits purchased.
  • Upgraded Packages – For those who want larger wall art or a stunning custom album, we offer upgrade options featuring:
    • Matted prints, wall art collections, and custom albums made with the finest Italian leather and archival-quality paper from the Amalfi Coast.
    • Each album includes your child’s images paired with a poem-style storyline and ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, customized with your children’s names.

Limited Edition Sessions – Book Now!

The St. Nicholas Storybook Experience is a limited edition event available for only two days:
October 22nd & 23rd, 2022

A $150 creative fee (plus tax) secures your session. This includes:

  • A 60-minute private interactive experience with St. Nicholas.
  • Complimentary reindeer bell and magical reindeer dust as keepsakes.
  • Hot chocolate bar and gingerbread cookies for parents.
  • Access to our stunning studio wardrobe with timeless outfits.
  • A private ordering consultation to select your portraits.

Create magical holiday memories that your family will treasure for years to come.

"Children enjoying hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies at St. Nicholas Storybook Experience."
The Saint Nicholas Storybook experience Sonia Gourlie Fine Art Photography Ottawa Ontario
"Christmas portrait session at St. Nicholas Storybook Experience, Ottawa, with magical North Pole atmosphere."
The Saint Nicholas experience Sonia Gourlie Fine Art Photography Ottawa Ontario

The Creative Fee – What’s Included

Our St. Nicholas Storybook Experience takes place at our beautiful professional portrait studio in North Gower, Ontario—just 15 minutes from central Ottawa.

For a limited time, the Creative Fee is $150 + tax (60% off the regular price).
👉 Please note: The Creative Fee covers the experience itself but does not include prints, digitals, or packages.

Here’s what’s included:

  • A 60-minute private interactive experience for your children with St. Nicholas in our stunning, fully styled Christmas studio.
  • Special Keepsake Gifts: Each child receives a bottle of “Santa’s Magical Reindeer Dust” and their very own Polar Express Reindeer Bell to take home—a magical memory they’ll cherish forever.
  • A chance to purchase hand-finished fine art created by PPOC Award-winning and accredited children’s photographer Sonia Gourlie from Pretty Dreams Photography.
  • A private ordering appointment featuring a slideshow reveal of your images and a one-on-one consultation to select your artwork.
  • Complimentary 8×10 digital files of any portraits you purchase—perfect for sharing with family and friends.
  • Complimentary Hot Chocolate Bar & Gingerbread Cookies for parents to enjoy while your children experience the magic.
  • Access to our luxurious studio wardrobe, featuring timeless outfits perfectly coordinated with the set design.

Packages – Transforming Memories into Timeless Art

Following your session, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase exquisite fine art portraits. We offer two package options:

Basic Christmas Storybook Package – $599 + tax

The Original Storybook Christmas Experience includes:

  • Three 8×10 mounted fine art prints, matted to 11×14, ready for framing.
  • Accompanying digital files of the three portraits you purchase.

Upgraded Packages – For Those Who Want More

If you’d like to enhance your collection, we offer a range of upgraded packages featuring larger wall art, albums, and additional fine art prints.
Upgrading is optional—you can choose to stick with the basic package or select from the upgraded options during your ordering consultation.

Our upgraded packages include:

Metallic Wall Art and Matted Prints – Stunning, high-impact display pieces that will become cherished family heirlooms.

Fine Art Wall Collections – Featuring larger, heirloom-quality portraits perfect for displaying in your home during the holiday season and beyond.

Custom Storybook Albums – Made from premium Italian leather or faux suede, with archival-quality pages from the Amalfi Coast. Each album includes:

Your edited images from the session.

A poem-style storyline with your children’s names.

The classic ’Twas the Night Before Christmas story at the end—personalized for your family.

price list for fine art products for studio
Pretty Dreams Photography St Nicholas Storybook experience upgrade packages.

How to Book Your St. Nicholas Storybook Experience

Booking your St. Nicholas Storybook Experience is simple! Here’s how:

  1. Contact Us to Reserve Your Session:
  2. Choose Your Preferred Date and Time:
    • Sessions are available on October 22nd & 23rd, 2022.
    • Let us know which date and time works best for you.
  3. Secure Your Spot with the Creative Fee:
    • To confirm your booking, you’ll need to pay the $150 Creative Fee and sign the contract.
    • Please note: The Creative Fee must be paid upfront to reserve your spot.
  4. Review the Pre-Session Materials:
    • After booking, you’ll receive detailed materials to help you prepare for your session.
    • Be sure to review everything so you and your little ones are ready for the magic!
  5. Enjoy a Magical Experience!
    • On the day of your session, relax and enjoy watching your children create unforgettable Christmas memories with St. Nicholas.
    • Sip on hot chocolate, nibble on gingerbread cookies, and soak in the magic while we capture timeless heirloom portraits.

Don’t Miss Out – Limited Sessions Available!

📅 October 22nd & 23rd, 2022
Reserve your spot now to give your children the ultimate Christmas experience with magical portraits they’ll treasure forever.

for Samples of our Saint Nicholas Sessions go to

  1. Sue says:

    Has this ever been done with adult children….would love pictures like this with my adult children😁

  2. Michelle says:

    I truly cant wait to see my daughter in this setup your saint Nicholas is perfection !! You always take the most stunning portraits and love seeing them on my walls. Now I will be able to add some Christmas ones to that collection, Im so excited to do these before she doesn’t believe in Santa anymore, what a timeless setup. See you in October

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