Christmas Countdown: Day 20 Family Tradition
I’m late on the draw with today’s family tradition becuase, well, I was too busy doing it myself! If you saw my previous post, today’s tradition is the annual Holiday Photo. If you are just plain stupid, like I am, you will stubbornly try to get your kids to all coordinate and smile and sit up and stop bugging their siblings and do a *real* smile, not one that makes them look like they are in pain, like this:
And then you will want to drink heavily but instead you will indulge in ice cream.
If you are smart, you’ll take your kids to a pro who doesn’t know them and let THEM wrestle them into submission. Either that or you will take them and waste a whole afternoon and a lot of money on sitting fees to get a photographer to quit his job. But whatever. It has to be done, it’s TRADITION! How else could you share your children’s beauty in all of their Christmas Best with The Whole World?
You know, I have these portrait-style photos that my Dad took of my brother and I when we were like 2 and 4. I prize these photos, I think they are adorable, completely. Even growing up, I thought they were so wonderful. And maybe that planted the seed that I should, you know, do the same for my kids? I blame Dad. But what I’m just realizing now, after years of annual photos, is that Dad only did it ONCE! No wonder I have such great memories. But maybe I should have wondered, at some point, WHY he only did it once?! Now I know.
Well I hope to have cute photos to show for it and this year I’m keeping the bad ones too. My only real regret is that I do not have the bad ones to show for all our pain and misery for years gone by!!
So I know this serves as inspiration to you all - go forth and be photographic!!!!!
December 6th, 2007 at 9:08 am
I had quite the chuckle reading this! Why you ask? Because we did the same exact thing a couple of days before Thanksgiving. And I only have 3 to get to look forward and smile! I had one that was purposely trying to scowl! We ended up with an ok photo but not outstanding. At least no one was crying! Our 2nd Christmas photo with all 3 kids, we had one that was crying and so we sent out our Christmas card with her mouth wide open, drooling and crying. It was funny and everyone loved it!
[Reply]
December 6th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Ha, ha! I deal with my kids every day….I go to the professionals and hope they need the holiday cash enough to not quit their job. Two years ago we even brought the dog…haven’t seen that lady since.
This years actually somewhat turned out, I should take a picture of one and post it
[Reply]
December 6th, 2007 at 10:44 am
I bet you got a great one! The kids look adorable. Did you get Lucy’s card yet? Hurry up and send me a card. I swear getting Christmas cards is one of my very favorite parts of the holidays. Your blog is so awesome this month with all of the holiday traditions. LOVIN IT!
[Reply]
December 6th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Too cute. We keep all the rejected photos too. We have some funny ones of Chloe making faces at us and dancing because she just didn’t want to pose anymore.
If Noah really loves the rudolph car I could look and see if they have any more left. I actually found the car kit at my local grocery store. It was next to the Christmas candy section. It cost $9.99. And I have the day off tomorrow so I can check and see. Let me know.
[Reply]