Mother in laws

So my LO hates Santa. He’s so scared of him and is all about stranger danger right now. Well my in laws took my son to their work Christmas party at the zoo which is whatever so I though. Well they made my son sit on Santa’s lap and

he cries scared to death. I don’t understand why one of them couldn’t have just held him for the picture. My mother in law laughs about it and thinks it’s funny.