Alice Lock: Trip to Hastings City Night Market turns into awkward encounter with Santa

Hawke's Bay Today reporter Alice Lock tells Father Christmas what she wants for Christmas.

My weekly visit to the Hastings City Night Market took a rather odd turn last week.

I left the office on my dinner break and headed over to Albert Square to get some butter chicken from one of the food carts, which I do most Thursdays.

It's that festive time of year again so Santa was out in fine form sitting by the stage patiently waiting for people - or should I say children - to have photographs with him.

While I was waiting for my dinner I happened to catch his eye.

I really didn't want to get his attention so I quickly looked away and hoped some little kids would start lining up for photos.

Don't get me wrong, Santa was a favourite growing up, but I was always a little bit scared of him.

Most children would have their stockings on the end of their bed and wait in anticipation for him to come down the chimney, up the stairs and into their room, but I was different.

I was too scared to have my stocking anywhere near my bed so would put it down by the fireplace well away from my room.

It worked a treat, as I wouldn't hear or see him but in the morning knew presents would be waiting for me downstairs by the tree.

Anyway as I was walking back to the office across Albert Square, the man with the beard said to me: "Hey there, want a selfie?"

I looked to see if there were young children behind me, as I thought this had to be a joke.

Surely Santa did not think a 21-year-old would want a selfie with him in front of a strong night-market crowd.

Well I was wrong, because he then said: "Come on, come and sit on my knee and have a selfie. You have an iPhone so it's perfect."

I gulped.

Thoughts raced through my head as I tried to think of an excuse to avoid this rather embarrassing situation.

Unfortunately as I was on the spot and caught in a fluster nothing seemed to come out and all I could do was laugh.

I was caught between offending the figure I once idolised from a distance or really embarrassing myself.

I decided I wasn't ready to wake up to a stocking full of coal on Christmas day so I bit my lip and went with option number two.

I quickly looked around and just hoped like crazy that I didn't know anyone.

I was trying to think of ways that would minimise the time spent on his knee so thought I had hit the jackpot by opening the camera up beforehand.

I then put on an awkward grin and sat down on his knee.

Well unfortunately just as I went to take the selfie the camera was facing the wrong way.

My master plan backfired.

In a mad rush I raced to turn the camera around and snap that picture in record time.

Normally with selfies you try to work those angles and make sure you look okay. Well this time I just didn't care.

All I wanted to do was prove that I had a photo with him so I didn't offend him, then run.

I snapped the shot, got up, said my thanks and bolted back to the office.

Once I made it back I shared my experience with some of my colleagues and they all burst out laughing.

They couldn't believe I actually sat down on his knee and got a photo.

My facials in the photo say it all.

Maybe he thought I was a child, who knows, but it is safe to say that was one of the most embarrassing but hilarious two-minute interludes of my life to date.