Friday, December 10, 2010

Feeling The Christmas Card Heat

Hungrigyrl's Monkey and Buddha - 2009 Holiday Card photo


I usually take a cute picture of my boys in front of the tree when they are wearing nice shirts or sweaters and their cute little faces grace our family card. I'm starting to think this year we are going to change the pattern. My Monkey and Buddha are 4 and 2, and active as ever. I can barely get them to actually be in a picture together (unless their backs are facing me, and they have no idea I am holding a camera) much less look at me at the same time with smiles on their faces.
In front of our tree, 2010

I have received several cards already by some very efficient friends of mine that are unintentionally making me feel like a slacker. Sure, I am at the office 4 days out of the week, which gives me less opportunities to dress the boys in cute clothes and get just the "right shot", but come on - there are 3 days of the week that I am home and should be able to make this happen, right? Well, part of it could be that I also have not had time to get them their Christmas card clothes yet...which I should have done when I was on top of my game and did 90% of my gift buying on Black Friday. I kept thinking I'd have loads of time to get to this, and now look at me.
2nd Attempt at Holiday Photos - No fun for Buddha

Then, I try to make excuses, even going so far as trying to protect the environment. Why shouldn't I be "green" this year and not waste paper? Why don't I just send out a Holiday Email instead? Which would also save money and postage, more money to spend on the kids gifts...but that just isn't me. Sure, I try to be green the rest of the year, and am always looking at ways to cut costs and save, but I am so a "celebrator!" I love parties, and holidays and good times, and also rarely pass up opportunities to plaster my boys faces everywhere at home and on my personal Facebook page. The other excuse I have made is that since we are going to Disneyland the day after Christmas, wouldn't it be nice to get a cute photo of our family there and send out a New Year's card instead?

The faces I get these days in pictures! Cute, though!


I am still on the fence, I may send out a Christmas Email and then send out a New Year's card. Really what I should do, is just relax and not worry so much. I still have time to send out cards, and I have this whole weekend to try to get the boys in a picture. I can always take photos of them separately and put them on the card too.

Besides the whole card issue, I am feeling pretty good about where I stand with my shopping. I'm not stressed and am SUPER excited about going to the Happiest Place on Earth!

Am I stressing out about this too much? Do you send out cards, and is it usually the same thing (just your kids, your whole family, the kids together or separately or both)?

11 comments:

  1. With all the card designs now, find one that has separate panes and put one handsome face in one and the other in the other one! Or the New Year's card is a great idea and the trip is the perfect excuse, PLUS the boys won't get lost in the pile of other Christmas cards so more attention will be paid to them since it'll be after Christmas!

    Just don't stress over it, they're so cute people would love the card whenever it arrives!

    <3 Donna

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  2. I'm not a card sender. I used to send out e-cards but then I started getting fewer and fewer back. Maybe they gave up checking their mail or have new email addresses, I don't know, but I've pretty much stopped sending them now. I only reciprocate when I receive an e-card.

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  3. I am having the same issue! My little one just turned 1 and she is super mobile. She also has a habit of squinting when she sees a camera...I blame my mother and her taking 100 pictures of her every time she baby-sits. Recently I got a new camera and wanted to do a photo shoot of some of my favorite clothes or items people had given as gifts, so I would have something to show them. But all my pictures are of her squinting or squirming away, or her big fat baby hand on the lens of the camera. So I'm not sure we're going to get a photo this year, either.

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  4. It's been a month and still trying to take the baby's Christmas picture, and he can't sit still to even have it taken. UGH! Following form bloggy moms, pass by when you can at http://www.momstreehouse.com/ : )

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  5. Hello!
    Hoppin by to say hello from the global blog hop!
    http://realmomreviews.blogspot.com/
    Following your blog! Please follow back!
    If you could follow me on Facebook, that would be awesome too!!
    http://www.facebook.com/RealMomReviews
    Thanks for your time!
    Skye

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  6. Either works. I did a card but I think emails are cool too.

    We had SUCH a hard time getting a good shot. Boys!

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  7. I LOVE sending out Christmas cards. And I LOVE family traditions. I come from a family that had few traditions to begin with & then all sense of family flew out the window when I was & my parents divorced. So I decided to make sure to do those sort of things for my kids, even for my stepkids, although I sort of have to fight them on it, they resist all efforts of accepting me as "family".

    I married my husband 5 years ago & in our first Christmas cards I sent out our wedding photo. (I had always sent out cards when I was single too, but never included photos.) After that I suggested we take a family photo on Thanksgiving (since it's one day that we are usually all looking our best) & putting that in our Christmas cards. Of course the kids fought at first, but I got hubby to back me on it & it has panned out every year so far. The kids fight me a lot less about it now & hubby actually thanked me for being so persistent about it because he now treasures having a yearly family photo.

    The last couple of eyars have been tough for us financially & so I have resorted to photo cards from walmart.com rather than a card with a photo enclosed inside. But I still enjoy doing it. I do believe that was my first family tradition I started since joining this family & I am happy I did it & plan to make sure it never stops.

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  8. Hi Hungrigyrl! Thank you for following me on NetworkedBlogs and commenting on my blog! I am your latest follower too! Ah, Christmas cards. We've done everything from Sears portrait cards of the whole family, to Walgreen's online cards with 4 pictures of each kid in one collage to printing out photos on PAPER (sad!) and sticking them in prebought cards. We usually do just the kids. I haven't mailed mine out yet. It's looking to be a sadder year than the pictures-on-paper year!

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  9. Ever since I had my little one, I became a cardsender. I don't know why I feel like I need to have something tangible to give and keep for the years to come. Haha.

    Anyway, Your boys are darling! :)

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  10. I like to get the cards and put them on my fridge - so I send them. I like just the kids in the picture. All of the pictures are so cute - but the one in front of the tree is extra cute. Have a wonderful Christmas!
    -Buffi
    My Wonderfully Dysfunctional Blog

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  11. Your boys are adorable! I just wanted to thank you for stopping by my blog and commenting, also being a follower! I also follow your blog. Happy Holidays to you and your family :)

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