3 Holidays Tips to Get the Perfect Family Christmas Card Photos

Receiving Christmas cards is one of the best holiday traditions. Even in a world where Facebook and Instagram are killing the once-popular photo album, there is still nothing like getting a yearly, personal reminder in the mail about how your loved ones and cherished friends are doing.

And it should go without saying that the key to a good Christmas card is the photo. Sure, it’s nice to have a little summary of the year and hear about any major life events. But you probably already knew about all that anyway. The photo will always be the star of the show. It is also a great idea to keep the photo each year and later immortalize them in one family photo book. Personalized photo book creation has now been made easy.

But how do you make sure your card — which will be sitting proudly on your extended family’s mantle all month — comes out great? The following few tips will help you look your very best as everyone rings in the yuletide cheer.

1. Photo Style and Specs

Before you make any other decisions, you need to get the style and logistics down. Namely, what type of photo Christmas card will you decide upon? The key choice comes down to either a vertical or horizontal design, which will define the setup and planning for the photoshoot. But there are also many different styles of photos out there. Knowing this, decide whether you want festive borders, writing on top of the image or a few different photos arranged on the front. And pick the color you like best. This style question will inform everything else.

2. What to Wear

There are a few different good options to pick from when it comes to wardrobe. Do you want to bring out the Christmas season with some over-the-top Santa, reindeer and elf costumes? Or, maybe just a nice, classy red and green sweater? Then again, some people like to go extra formal with dresses, suits, and ties. But you can definitely go ahead and wear something out of your closet that you would wear any time of year. The best advice is to go with whatever fits your family. Have fun, look nice, and go with something that says “us.”

3. Location Anywhere

Where should you take the photo for your Christmas card? The sky really is the limit here. You can do anything your heart and imagination desires. A family shot in the home is classic and hard to beat. This can work on the sofa, next to the tree or outside in the yard. Then again, a professional studio can allow you to play around with fun poses or even green-screen effects. There are also certainly some good local landmarks or even little-known pretty backdrops to try. Above all else, have fun. The photoshoot itself is one of the best parts of doing this.

Perfecting the Photo Christmas Card

Christmas is a time for many things. When it comes to giving the best cards to family and friends, make it a point to celebrate you and show off a bit. You may not be a Hollywood star gracing magazine covers and running from the paparazzi, but this is your card — and your time to shine!

So, don’t just send out any old photo Christmas card. Put some effort into it! Start by choosing the right specs and particular options for the style of card you like. Then, pick a suitable outfit that fits your personality — as funky or buttoned-up as that might be. And go with a location that you love.

With all this taken care of, you can concentrate on herding up the family and making sure everyone remembers to comb their hair. Don’t forget to say, “cheese!”