Christmas cards.
I stalk the mailbox all December long waiting for them to arrive. I ALWAYS send Christmas cards. And not just any Christmas cards. Christmas Photo Cards from Shutterfly.
You might even say that I am obsessed. OK, I am obsessed. It's just that I can ALWAYS find the perfect design on the Shutterfly website, in fact I often have a hard time selecting just one. With styles ranging from "simple and classic" to "bold and modern", I'm never disappointed. Plus, photo cards are super cute and I love to see how the girls changed through the years.
But for me, the process of creating the perfect holiday card starts long before December, in fact my 2011 cards have already been shipped to me.
Here's how the magic happens.
1. I take a zillion and one photos throughout the year, in search of the "perfect shot."
2. I start to narrow down my selection of holiday card designs in late September/early October.
3. I choose a design, a photo and have 100+ cards printed. (I use all the photos that don't make it onto the card in photo books that I give as gifts.)
4. I address and stamp all the cards by hand and have them in the mail the day after Thanksgiving. (My Christmas card is sure to be the first you'll receive.)
5. I sit around and wait for cards in return.
Want to see what I've come up with in the past? Of course, you do.
And this year's is even better (Close your eyes if you expect to get one of these from me) ...
Awesomesauce, right?Probably makes you want to go create your own holiday card right now. And you should, because thanks to Shutterfly, three (3) of my readers will win 25 FREE Holiday Cards from the 2011 Shutterfly collection.
Entering is simple, just leave me a comment telling me your favorite holiday tradition. Want a bonus entry? Let me know how fabulous (beautiful, talented) you think my family is.
Entries will be accepted until Sunday, October 30th. Winners will be randomly selected and announced on Monday, October 31st.
Note: I was provided these photo cards for free, but the opinions are all my own and I would have purchased them anyway.
I love baking cookies with my mom...nothing beats it.
ReplyDeleteYour girls take the cutest pictures! I can see why you have problems choosing just one design
ReplyDeleteSuper cute family!!! Big shoes to fill when...I mean IF I win. :)
ReplyDeleteI think the black one is my favorite.
My favorite holiday tradition with my parents was hanging the ornaments every year. In our family of 4, we would draw a name out of a hat and purchase a "secret" ornament for that person. Then, each year, we would go back and laugh at the reasons the past ornaments were chosen. Good times! I will be honest and say I haven't established any traditions with my kids...up until this year they have just been too young! Maybe this year...
ReplyDeleteYour girls are so cute... but of course they are... just look at their momma!!
ReplyDeleteFavorite holiday tradition... decorating the house. We always play Xmas music, a little dancing and wine involved. It's relaxing and exciting to kick off the season, of which the rest is usually hectic! :)
ReplyDeleteOh man...now you have me feeling all ready to get out my holiday decorations! You also have me thinking how far behind I am on Christmas card! Ack!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite traditions are Christmas cards (I haven't missed sending them out since hubby and I have been together), getting a commemorative silver ball each year from my mother and the Elf on the Shelf.
I love seeing pictures of your family. I especially love how your kids have your sense of style. They each look as beautiful and as unique as you!
ReplyDeleteWe have so many holiday traditions, it's hard to pick a favorite, but I think I'd go with making Christmas cookies with my girls.
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful family!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I can't pick a favorite tradition because everything about Christmas is awesome. I do really like giving the kids a present on Thanksgiving...a new Christmas book to read for the next month!
ReplyDeleteYour girls are adorable and I love the super curly hair!
ReplyDeleteLOVE your design for this year!
ReplyDeleteLove your card for this year. We play cards every year on holidays when the boys are home and keep a running total of wins and loses. When we have extra friends the first thing they have to do is learn the card game. So much fun!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition is that the elves come nightly once the tree is up and leave chocolates in the stockings...and sometimes a little extra gift, too!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition is sleeping at my grammy's house Christmas Eve and waking up Christmas morning with my aunts, uncle, cousins, parents, sisters and Grammy :)
ReplyDeleteYou girls are beyond adorable...your entire family is freakishly photogenic, hard to come by!
ReplyDeleteHave to also go with Christmas cookie baking as my fave holiday tradition. My mom used to let me skip school in middle and high school and we would spend the whole day making cookies!
ReplyDeleteAnd you do have a beautiful family!
ReplyDeleteMy fave holiday tradition is one from my childhood that I have carried on with my kids.. new Christmas pjs! It was the ONE gift we got to open on Christmas eve from my parents. I now do the same with my kids. And I always take our Christmas card pic of the kids in front of the tree in their pjs (before they ever get wrapped and under the tree..haha)!
ReplyDeleteYour family is beautiful! I love all the cards you have done!
My favourite Christmas tradition is baking Christms cookies since they only get baked once a year! And ofcourse eating them ;)
ReplyDeleteYou know how awesome your family is! Amazing to have such a such supportive hubby and your girls are precious!
ReplyDeleteThose kids are adorable. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteAnd my favorite tradition is decorating the tree with my kids.
ReplyDeleteMy friends & I have a holiday party where people entertain by playing the piano.
ReplyDeleteYour family is the BEST.
ReplyDeleteI love making peanutbutter balls. Everyone in my family waits to come over to eat mine... they ROCK!
ReplyDeleteYour family... yeah, they are cute. I cannot wait to met them. I feel like I know them from your blog... well, at least the part they share.
ReplyDeleteAnd can I say super cool that it isn't even Halloween and you have your cards done!
Oh you are so talented. I love photo cards, I never send anything but!
ReplyDeleteWe have paper hearts that we pass around at every holiday meal. We give out heart to a person at the table and say something we love about them.
ReplyDeleteFavorite Holiday tradition would have to be yesterday's pumpkin patch at my in-laws and making christmas cookies. Oh, your family is truly darling...not pulling that out of my ear either! I really should get on Christmas cards early. I hope I win!!!!!! Here's to luck! And I really should stop being so lazy and just do this giveaway myself. :)
ReplyDeleteOf course your family is amazing, you helped create them!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite traditions is Christmas Eve. We all go to my mother's house with a few close friends. We talk and nibble then off to church. After church we return just the family (3 sister's families no friends) and we exchange gifts that evening. We all take turns opening our presents so that we each can enjoy seeing the others reaction to their gifts. The best part of Christmas is giving gifts!
ReplyDeleteoooh, this year's is def my fave so far!
ReplyDeleteLove your super cute family. Your 2011 card has lots of great pics without being too "busy".
ReplyDeleteFavorite Christmas tradition ..... why making and giving my annual s'fly album to the grandparents, of course.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition is cinnamon rolls on Christmas Day. :) Yum!
ReplyDeleteOf course your family is beautiful! They have a beautiful mama!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition was waking up early with my mom and watching miracle on 34th street while drinking our coffee and peeling potatoes. Now I have a family of my own (hubby, two year old and 2 month old). We are just starting to develop our traditions and its been a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful family! I think my favorite is the peace on earth card with all the pictures. Your girls are adorable!
ReplyDeletewith my kids my favorite is baking cookies on the 24th
ReplyDeletefor me it is to send handwritten cards...real mail!
I mail over 100 every year
beautiful family pics
ReplyDeleteI love the first one with your long hair in the wind!
My favorite Christmas tradition is going to the cabin with my family. We don't have anything to do but spend time together, and it's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI love quiet Christmas mornings with just me, the kids, and my husband.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is ordering pizza on Christmas eve!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is decorating the tree we have a fake on so we do it the first weekend in December, the girls decorate/make a new ornament to put on the tree then we spend a couple hours in the evening decorating the tree together as a family. :)
ReplyDeleteWe don't really do Xmas in my family but Thanksgiving is a huge deal along with "new years" cards. Thanksgiving and hunting...that is where it at in Wisconsin!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday tradition is opening stockings on Christmas morning- it's not just for the kids! The adults play "santa" for each other and slip lotions, candy, small gift cards, etc into each others' stockings the night before when they're set out. :)
ReplyDeleteYour family is beautiful! Those are adorable cards you've had in past years. :)
ReplyDeleteWe like taken a picture with the Christmas tree that we just cut down. We also like opening one gift on Christas eve!
ReplyDeleterebeccaw2005 at gmail dot com
I LOVE holiday baking at my parents house! All the family gathered round to get fat together is the best!
ReplyDeleteYour family is fabulous, beautiful, and talented. Did I get that right?
ReplyDeleteYou are on my list of "pros" for having my husband look for jobs in Richmond next year. How's that for a compliment? Or maybe it's just stalkerish? I hope not... :) Great card though!
ReplyDeleteAnd our favorite tradition is of course running a race together... then I bake all season and try to cancel out all the calories I burn each day... easily accomplished. :)
ReplyDeleteFavorite holiday tradition is Christmas morning breakfast. Eating with the whole family, seeing the kids so excited, and feeling so thankful for my faith, family, and friends!
ReplyDeleteYou really do have a beautiful family! Your girls are just precious!
ReplyDeleteour favorite tradion is cooking cheese fritters and hot apple cider and lighting the Hanukkah lights. We just love eating, and singing songs all togeather as a family
ReplyDeleteChristmas morning brunch with TMB & crew.... oh, wait, we need to make that tradition....
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tradition is decorating the Christmas Tree. Christmas music, memories, and hot chocolate...can't beat it!
ReplyDeletebethfouche at hotmail dot com