Photo cards aren't just for kids!

It's the MOST wonderful time of the year! Ever since I can remember, the Christmas Season has been my favorite time of year. I love the whole process of creativity...cooking, decorating, gift giving, writing a newsletter, the MUSIC!! I have more Christmas CD's than regular ones I think!! I have to give my mom some of the credit. She led by joyous example of how to be creative and enjoy the spirit of giving, even during the "lean years". I have to admit, now being married and especially having a toddler of my own, the Christmas Season is all the MORE delightful. Seeing everything thru my daughter's eyes (the first snow, the lights and decorations everywhere, dancing to Jingle Bell Rock..) takes on new and precious significance.

We're diligently working on getting our plans set...from gift giving (including charitable donations) to those home photography sessions to create our Christmas photos! I have LOVED using Shutterfly.com as our resource to turning our photos into something much more. I have used them to create Christmas photo cards, thank you cards and several photo albums for us as well as family members. I loved their "ABC" book, where we could be creative and try to find photo representation of every letter of the alphabet! That was a fun Father's Day gift this year. Much easier than scrapbooking. (All photos lead to a shutterfly link! Check them out!)



We usually do a Christmas photo (flat) card, but this year I think we'll expand to a folded greeting card with the cool option of adding that "newsletter" right into the card! Ones I really like:


I really love the idea of the photo card. So much so, that we keep all the photos we receive at Christmas time, up on our wall ALL year round! It brings a bit of Christmas all year round, it serves as a reminder to Lucy as we learn and relearn the names of our friends, and mostly it serves as a constant reminder to pray for our loved ones. Which is why I'm on a personal campaign to all my friends WITHOUT kids to make a photo card this year!! I want you up on my wall! Out of all the cards I received last year, only 3 childless couples sent me a photo. Several people with kids only sent photos of the kids. NO single people sent me a photo (despite the fact they DID send a card.) Why do we think photo cards are just for kids? Granted, I prefer showing off Lucy's "bad hair days" MUCH more than my own. I get it. But I want us to change the way we view our singleness. (I was single for 33 years, so I'm speaking out of experience too!) Just because you don't have a chubby cheeked cherub that grows like a weed from year to year to make the center of a photo card, doesn't mean you are not worthy of center stage on a card!! I think I've convinced my sister to let me help her make one this year! I've also been spreading the word, trying to give ideas of how people without kids, or spouses can put themselves out there, sharing a photo of an accomplishment of this year (running a half marathon, buying a house, visiting the Eiffel tower, or petting your cat!!??). We really DO want to see YOU this year. Even if you have kids, jump in the photo with them!!

Shutterfly is doing a campaign for free holiday cards for writing a blog.

That is officially why I thought to write this, but then I thought what a great opportunity to spread the word about my passion. As much as I love Shutterfly, I have to admit the marketing is a bit narrow. Out of 805 holiday card options (that's a LOT), not ONE shows a single adult as an example. Nor were there any adults over the age of 45. There were a few couples that did not include kids. I hope that my blog is read by the folks at shutterfly, and maybe they can begin to include photos of single adults (alone, or gathered with their single friends having FUN), or maybe of a grandparent with their grand kids! Maybe YOUR photo will inspire them to be included in the creative invitation. If Christmas photos seem too daunting, make a few photo thank you cards to send out after the holidays for the select folks that made your holiday special, and work your way up. If you are in my neighborhood, come on over, and we'll take your photo by our snowman collection, and get you started on the computer creating a beautiful card!