Kim Kardashian’s annual holiday photo tradition made headlines this year—but not for its usual glitz and glamour. Instead, fans were quick to notice the surprising absence of her eldest daughter, North West, from the Kardashian-Jenner family’s festive Christmas shoot. The missing appearance of the 12-year-old instantly sparked conversation across social media.
On Wednesday, Kim shared a carousel of cozy holiday photos on Instagram, featuring herself and three of her children—Saint (10), Chicago (7), and Psalm (6)—all dressed in matching Christmas-themed pajama sets from her popular Skims clothing line. The heartwarming shoot also included Khloé Kardashian’s son Tatum (3) and Rob Kardashian’s daughter Dream (9). Captioning the post, Kim wrote, “’Twas the night before Christmas…”
While the photos were undeniably festive and adorable, fans in the comments section focused on one detail above all else—North West was nowhere to be seen. Social media users quickly filled the post with jokes and speculation. One fan commented, “Northie said not today—gotta love teenagers!” while another joked that North should be paid if she’s expected to participate in photo shoots.
Many followers, however, weren’t shocked by North’s absence. Just days earlier, Kim had admitted that getting all four of her kids together for a holiday photo was no easy task. In a behind-the-scenes carousel shared on Instagram, Kim wrote, “I really tried,” showing North walking out of the frame and missing the first few shots entirely.
This isn’t the first time North has resisted family holiday photos. Back in 2022, Kim revealed that several Christmas pictures were unusable because North was “sticking out her middle finger.” On her Hulu reality series, Kim has also described family photo sessions as the most stressful moments of her life, explaining that her kids often cry and clash during shoots.
Kim shares her children with ex-husband Kanye West, whom she divorced in 2021. Despite North’s reluctance to pose for family photos, the preteen recently grabbed headlines by making her Instagram debut, a move that surprised fans due to Kanye’s previously vocal objections to her presence on social media.
North’s choice to skip the holiday shoot may simply reflect typical preteen independence, but once again, it proves that even in absence, a Kardashian can steal the spotlight.