Running from the Law: The Great Christmas Card Debacle of 2015

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Thursday, December 3, 2015

The Great Christmas Card Debacle of 2015

It's the most wonderful time of the year...holiday card time!! If you're anything like me, you love getting a stack of holiday cards in the mail every day. I love seeing all the card designs, the pretty pictures, the clever poems, the announcements about moves and births. I love seeing how big your kids have gotten; I love seeing photos from your vacation; I love that you took the time to send us a tiny piece of your holiday cheer. I display all the cards we receive in our hallway and the kids and I look at them and talk about them all December long. Holiday cards are one of my very favorite parts about Christmas!

However, getting holiday cards and sending holiday cards are two TOTALLY different things. Receiving holiday cards is easy and fun. Sending holiday cards is stressful and exhausting. The whole process of taking photos, selecting a photo, finding the right design, the right colors, choosing the right greeting, remembering to change the name of the family to your family's name!, committing, ordering, proofing, addressing, stamping and mailing holiday cards is enough to drive anyone to drinking (not that I need an excuse or anything). It's just really overwhelming.
Over the last few years, getting my act together and getting the cards out the door on time has been getting harder and harder. When Mac was a baby, I was all over it! I had 6,000 photos of him to choose from and sent a simple card with his big smiling face on it to everyone we knew, showing off our insanely cute baby. The next year I was newly pregnant with Mim and miserably sick and tired. I didn't book our photo session early enough and ended up with a late November date, which got snowed out and rescheduled for mid-December. By the time I got the photos back, ordered the cards, received the cards, got them addressed and stamped it was nearly February. I sent them anyway. Last year we hit the photography jackpot. We not only had an adorable family mini session done, we had photos from an extended family session that we loved and it took me WEEKS of agonizing over the photos and designs to finally pick a card. I was so overwhelmed with choices and the decision felt so momentous that I couldn't make a decision. By the time my husband finally intervened and picked ONE from the 37 options I gave him it was nearly Christmas. 

This year, I had a plan. I was on top of my game and booked a family photo session for early October, ensuring that we had plenty of time to get the photos back, order our cards and get them out well before the last-minute madness. All I wanted was ONE good photo of all of us looking at the camera and smiling. How hard could it be?! I had my amazing friend and personal stylist Dacy (from Mindful Closet) come over and pick out all our fun outfits, which I loved. I booked my other amazing friend and professional photographer Jessica (of Emma Constance Photography) to take our photos. Everything was falling into place!  Until it all just fell apart. 
(photos by Jessica of Emma Constance Photography)

I don't exactly know what happened, but our photo session was a total disaster. We were already running late that morning, when Mim pooped in the car on the way to the shoot, requiring a substantial clean-up and me having no wipes (WTF?). Then Mac decided to run absolutely wild and would not cooperate or get within 25 feet of us without hysterically crying. His pants kept falling down and we had to use a binder clip to keep them up. Ryan was exhausted, I was frustrated. We tried and tried and tried to get it together, but it just wasn't happening.
(photos by Jessica of Emma Constance Photography)

The kids were distracted, the parents were frazzled, the dog was ashamed to even be part of our family. The harder I tried to make it happen, the worse things would get. Bribery didn't work. Distraction didn't work. Silliness and patience didn't work. We hiked around the park, trying over and over. Mac fell down some stairs and had a meltdown. Mim tripped over every stick in a mile radius and had multiple meltdowns. The dog got loose and had to be chased. I had a meltdown. And guess what...after all that forcing, the photos looked...wait for it...forced!  Ugh.
(photos by Jessica of Emma Constance Photography)

Thankfully, my photographer is a really good friend and talked me off the ledge. She assured me that it wasn't just me and my kids weren't purposely trying to destroy my life. She told me every family has an off year and this was ours. It's normal. She reminded me that 3 and 1 are TOUGH ages and they won't be this little or uncooperative forever. She pointed out all the adorable shots that we did get of each of the kids individually and tons of great ones of each parent with the kids. She reminded me that we'll have these hilarious memories from the session and always look back on them and laugh.

And in the meantime, she agreed to come over to our house and try ONE MORE TIME to get that money shot of the 4 of us that would be Christmas card worthy...
And we screwed it up again! 

No really...we got some cute shots and a winner for the holiday card! But what kind of story is that?! Two months later and I'm finally over my sobfest about how my children are trying to ruin my Christmas (kidding). We got a great shot of the 4 of us (no dog this time) for the card and I set to work getting them ordered. After that ridiculous family photo debacle, I wanted the card ordering process to be as easy as possible.

I used Minted and was blown away with how easy they made it this year. You can sort by greeting (Christmas, Holiday, New Year), by how many photos you want on the front (0-3+) or by photo orientation (portrait, landscape, square). You can arrange by price, whether you want folded or flat, letterpress, foil printing and more. You can also upload your photo and see it/them directly in the cards while you're browsing! This was GENIUS. Minted has so many great options, but they were not so overwhelming that I couldn't decide. I narrowed down our decision by choosing a Christmas greeting, selecting 1 photo (landscape orientation) and picking a complimentary color. I think I got our selection down to about 12 that I loved and then went back to them over the course of an evening and made my final decision the next morning. Viola! I've included some of my favorites below.

Once you pick your card, you still get to customize it with more photos, text or design on the back, you can choose different edge types (rounded, scalloped, etc.), order coordinating labels and envelope liners. So many amazing options! 
I haven't sent out our cards yet, but tune back in a few weeks from now and I'll show you the final photo and holiday card design we chose.


Anyone else have holiday card drama this year?


*I received this product as part of the Savvy Sassy Moms Product Scouts program. All opinions are my own.

26 comments:

  1. LOL... "Even the dog was ashamed to be part of our family..." Can't wait to see it!!

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  2. After all that, I'm just excited that you got to wear both sets of outfits! I think all of the pics look pretty darn cute!

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  3. Hilarious! Ours weren't quite that bad, but I agree, trying to get a photo of a 1- and 3- year old together is at the bottom of the things-I-like-to-do list! I get so mad at my children every time I try, especially when paying an arm and leg for a professional photographer!!! Can't wait to see your Christmas card reveal! I actually like the outfits in your second session better. :)

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  4. It was our year too! K didn't smile once! Lex stuck her tongue out in probably every shot! I only have half the pictures back (my photog sent me the holiday card contenders ASAP)... But I'm terrified to see what the other half look like! But -- your family is adorable regardless. And I even love all the shots that didn't make the cut!

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  5. I am sorry, but I cracked up at "even the dog was ashamed to be a part of our family"...but only because this sounds like my life and I can relate. If it makes you feel better we haven't even taken family photos yet. For so many reasons, but mostly because my guys hate pictures and I haven't felt up to that battle yet. Hopefully soon! I just have to think of a good bribe first. I can't wait to see which picture you picked and your card design. I know it will be fabulous! And I agree with Erin ^ 100%.

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  6. I feel for ya every time I hear this story, but I know that your card will be perfectly lovely! With such a beautiful family, how could it not!!

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  7. Oh I wish I lived closer to you so I could have given you a big hug and brought over a bottle of wine. The shots you got from the shoot are fabulous and I know your Christmas card will look amazing.

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  8. We took our pictures on our roof deck, and Cam literally tried to jump of...three stories up. In the other pictures, he had his head in my shoulder, his fingers in his mouth, or he was trying to eat Louise. I just chalked it up as a failure and chose the best of the bad pictures. Thank god for wine and wine and wine....there's always next year. Or photoshop!

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  9. Poor dog...getting dragged into your chaos ;) At least you guys keep trying. And despite all the craziness I'm still seeing lots of cute shots. After Declan's newborn shoot this past summer I'm too traumatized to even attempt professional pictures. We're just recruiting relatives or the tripod to get shots of all four of us. So far we have about 3 semi-decent shots of all of us, out of about 1,000.

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  10. Noah was running all over during our shoot too, I can't imagine getting two kids to cooperate! It can be so stressful! Can't wait to see your card!

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  11. So we are taking our photos THIS Saturday and I'm praying Jude doesn't have a meltdown in front of Santa because it is the LAST possible minute and I just can't wait any longer. Oh and I still don't know what to wear. Or what BTR is wearing. Or What Jude is wearing. #sendwine #damnitimstillpregnant

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  12. I personally love all the candid and real moments from both of your photo shoots! Real life, and I love it all.
    Our Minted order JUST arrived on my stoop and I'm dying to send those bad boys out!!

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  13. I hear you - taking photos with little ones is no easy task! Add a dog to the mix - even harder! I'm glad you were able to get a family photo re-do and got one worthy enough for your cards! We have our photos scheduled for tomorrow and I'm so worried that we either A) will have terrible photos because the shoot is scheduled just before Mila's bedtime or B) we won't get them quickly enough to do cards. So I ended up doing a toddler photo shoot myself and it was a disaster as well. But, honestly, I kind of like the dud photos. They show Mila's crazy little personality and I love that.

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  14. Oh man, I would've lost my shit. I literally PRAY for a good hair day and well behaved kids before we get family pics!! I'm sure you're card will be beautiful, and someday, maybe, you'll be able to laugh at the whole experience..?! :)

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  15. Oh mama! We had that year this year. There was a reason our family photo was on the back and in small, while it looks nice from afar, the picture is blurry and unfocused, but we were happy in it and that's what was the most important for us, the fact that happiness showed through even if it wasn't the best.

    I can't wait to see your 2015 photo, I loved the previous years, I'm sure whatever you picked will be beautiful :) Hang in there!

    liz @ sundays with sophie

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  16. Oh my! Your Christmas card story is even better than mine! LOL

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  17. You crack me up girl and I totally feel your pain. There is always someone not looking or a bad smile or a whining toddler. Ugh! Can't wait for you to share your card. :)

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  18. Adding that dog to the photos really ups the ante, I know because we're THOSE people ;) When I suggested to my husband we fo one without her, he flipped out and demanded she "is part of the family and must be included." So if you get a card and the dog looks awkward but everyone else is looking at the camera, I call it a win.

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  19. Oh man it definitely sounds like you had to put in work for that perfect Christmas card photo! I'm sure the one you ended up using is perfect and totally worth it. Minted has such beautiful options! Overtime I go on their site I can't decide what I want!

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  20. I hate to love this story. I can totally empathize with it. Your photographer is totally right though...trying to wrangle a three year old, one year old, and a dog will send any mama to drinking. Especially with daddy in the back mumbling under his breath! Your family is so lovely; ya'll make even a "disaster" look good!! Hoping you share the card!

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  21. I'm so excited to see your card! Given the runners up above, I think the one you chose is going to be perfect! Hopefully one day, you can look back on this and laugh. And at least you have a funny story to tell Mac's girlfriend one day... the Christmas card that almost wasn't and that drove mommy to drink. You guys are the cutest and I LOVE the candid shots of the kids!

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  22. Why do family pictures have to be so hard?! I took pictures myself of the boys & that was a joke. Ha! I think I got maybe a handful {a baby size hand} of good ones...such is life I suppose.

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  23. Oh my gosh, these are cracking me up! My favorite is of the pupper & kids & Mim is looking at the camera like she's about to do something naughty - too funny! Ha, ha!

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  24. Oh my goodness mama! What a day! We've all been there one time or another! And you know what you did lots of cute sperate photos which is always fun too! I'm sure your christmas card turned out awesome! I hear such great things about minted I bet yours our amazing!

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  25. This made me laugh and laugh. We didn't even do photos this year, so I was like, "Um, let's see what I have here..."

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  26. I wish it had not taken me forever to read this! So I did my first photoshoot and it was an find disaster. The children were downright terrors - wanting NOTHING to do with photos. A five year old and twin three year olds. I left feeling so defeated and not confident about my photo taking ability. I didn't even let her pay me. Womp Womp - but then I got kind of mad at myself. I mean it's not my fault they didn't want their pics taken right? Ugh another day, another day!

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