How to Take the Perfect Christmas Card Photo

Every time I do pictures with my four girls, everything goes so smoothly. 

I lay out their outfits, they dress and fix their hair without a fuss, we step outside and 

SNAP!

The perfect Christmas card photo:

NOT.

Usually, I take a few of these to get started:

After a few minutes of hearing the baby screech, Ethan mercifully comes outside and coaxes the girls to Show me your Teeth!!

Then I get pictures like this one:

Sofia:I think they're in here somewhere. 

Jasmine: YOU MEAN LIKE THIS??

Not so very flattering.

Of course I have to toss the blurry ones:

Oh yes, don't forget the part where your Christmas sign fell down:

Uh oh!

Ethan fixed the sign but neglected to share his coffee with the baby.

Terrible mistake.

Sofia, look an animal cracker!!! Do you want an animal cracker?!? Oh yum!!! Animal cracker???

Complete meltdown temporarily averted.

Rosalina, look at me!! Look here!!

Open your Eyes!!

Everyone smile!

Jasmine, you have to squat down or I can't see you...

Look over here!

Hello?

Okay nevermind....

Oh look- it's a flying elephant!!

Or not....

So in case you haven't been reading in between the lines, here are a few tips to help you take that *Perfect* Christmas photo.

#1. Hire an entertainer. Or for a cheaper option grab your husband or friend or random          neighbor person to make those kids smile!!  

           (Just don't ask them to show their teeth. That's NOT the same as smiling.)

#2. Bring animal crackers. And gumdrops. And possibly coffee. Whatever will   

         appease the taste buds of your tiny tyrant. Just don't leave it out on open display, or that is all   

         they will want. Keep it hidden until things start to unravel, and THEN break out your secret   

         weapon of choice. 

#3. Take LOTS of pictures. Use the burst mode, and Fire away!! It's okay if they get 

          grumpy or decide to be silly, because later (believe it or not) you will look back at those 

          not-so-perfect moments and be just as delighted at those memories as you are over that    

          *Perfect Picture* you actually decide to share.

#4. Have fun! Be silly. Celebrate with hot cocoa and cookies afterward! You don't want your           kids to loathe picture time, so make it an event worth celebrating. 

#5. Use PicMonkey to fix the sign.  Because who has time to make a perfect sign            when you're wrangling littles? For reals tho. PicMonkey will let you add perfect calligraphy,                elves, presents, or even reindeer antlers. It's worth trying, anyway. 

By the way, the *Perfect Picture* is more of an illusion than a reality. If you capture the ones you love, and you are all having fun in the process, how could it not be perfect?

Well, now you know.

Merry Christmas!!!