A Look Back at Our Family Christmas Cards

As much as I love finding Christmas cards (especially the photo cards) in my mailbox, I have to admit the actual act of getting a family picture made, bribing everyone into picture-perfect good moods, choosing a picture where all of us look normal/happy/awake/festive,  addressing the envelopes, getting to the post office to buy the stamps and getting them in the mail, stresses me out--a little.  (After that run-on sentence, I just remembered why I didn't send many cards last year. . . )

With all of that said, I've resolved to do better about sending cards this Christmas.  In fact, we already had a little family photo session over the weekend (more details on that to come), and I've even picked my Christmas card design:

I can only hope we'll look as happy and relaxed as the Manchesters. . . .

I love the simplicity of this design and the nostalgic font.  The card is oversized and will require extra-postage, but hey, I'm going all out this year to make up for the last one, or two, years.  I found this card via Shutterfly.  I've ordered Christmas photo cards and birthday invitations from them in the past and have always been pleased with the quality (and speed, since I always seem to be last-minute with these kinds of things).  I also think their photo calendars would be great Christmas gifts for my kids. . .

Since we're on the subject of Christmas cards, I thought it would be fun to look back at some of our family's cards from years past.  I only started sending photo cards once we had kids. 

2004:

Doesn't everybody think it's a hoot to dress their first baby as Santa?  Here we are, clueless Mommy and Daddy reindeer with a two-month-old baby boy.

2005: 

Well, that was fast.  Here, I'm five months pregnant with baby #2 (we didn't know it was a girl yet. . .).  And, yes, I did what no pregnant woman should do--chopped off my long hair above my chin and put weird blond highlights in it.  It's true, hormones make you do weird things.

I couldn't find the actual card, but here's the picture we used:

2006: 

Year of the card that wasn't meant to be.  But, we had a new baby girl and I was determined to show her off to the world.  Unfortunately, our last minute attempt at a photo session resulted in a husband that was apparently about to fall asleep, a very enthusiastic two-year-old, and some crazy choppy bangs on my behalf.  Oh, and I apparently decided to "make" our cards myself that year.  I can't remember for sure, but I'm thinking these never went in the mail.

2007: 

This year, Mommy and Daddy decided to drop out of the annual Christmas picture.  I actually love to see pictures of the whole family when I get other peoples' cards, but completely understand that it's sometimes just quicker and easier to photograph the kids when they're in happy moods.

2008:

No cards that year, but I had good excuses.  I was 7 months pregnant with baby #3 and we had just moved into our new house (after three months in an apartment so gross it will never be blogged about. . .).  I was tired, fat and just trying to keep my head above water.  I never ordered cards, but here's a family picture I found from that year:

2009: 

Baby #3's first Christmas!  It's alot of work to get a family of five ready for pictures, but we did it and I think I even managed to get a few of these cards in the mail (some after Christmas, but nevertheless. . . ).

2010: You'll just have to wait and see :)

So, what about you?  Do you send photo Christmas cards?

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Today is the last day to enter the giveaway for a $100 store credit to ShopTen25.  I'll announce the winner tomorrow morning.