I confess, I was a slacker mom in 2014. I didn’t send holiday cards, or even take a really good picture of my kids. I managed a goofy pic with two of my kids on Christmas Eve that I posted here and on Facebook, but I just couldn’t get it together with a good picture of all three kids, let alone of the whole family. And it never got sent in the mail, which was my original goal. Who could send a card missing one of the kids and a husband?
I love holiday cards and hang each card all on the wall as it comes in the mail, savoring each card and photo of my family and friends during the holidays. I get sad after New Year’s when I take them down, and miss seeing the smiling faces when my wall turns into a boring ecru wall once again.
So this year I’m excited to do holiday photo cards again and have been making my game plan for where, when, and how we’ll get a decent photo of the five of us. Could it really happen that we’ll have one of all three kids looking at the camera? It’s hard enough to leave the house with each of the three kids wearing matching socks, having a nice outfit that fits and is stain-free, and a face without something sticky stuck to it. I’ve never claimed to be a magazine-perfect mom, and struggle to get it all done.
So in honor of my quest to have stress-free holidays this year, I’m sharing Six Ways to Prep for Holiday Photos!
1. Work one step ahead.
I’m listing this as #1 because this is where I’ve failed in the past. I’ve scrambled on family photo day – for holiday cards or otherwise – when I realized that I didn’t have anything but ripped, ratty sneakers for my daughter to go with her pretty holiday outfit, or one of my sons didn’t have a shirt that fits. If I can take stock in advance of what we have in the closet and what fits, I can use my magical online shopping powers to have items delivered to my door.
2.Get in your workouts.
Not just on photo day, but as a regular routine leading up to it. Staying healthy and active will have you feeling amazing and confident on photo day. Then do yoga, go for a run, or whatever you like to do on the day of the photo and you’ll have more energy, patience, and your skin will shine.
3. Stay hydrated.
Staying hydrated will keep your skin looking clearer and your body retaining less water. It’s an easy way to feel and look great for photos.
4. Don’t worry about perfection.
While it may be tempting to show what a perfect family you have to everyone you know, the photos I love are the more natural ones. Or the ones where a kid’s personality shines through. That kid may not have been doing what the parent asked of them, but it makes me smile when I look at the picture on my wall.
5. Prep your smile.
I tend to focus on the kids’ outfits, the kids’ hair, and the kids’ smiles and attitudes, but I also have to make sure that I’m happy with my own photo! I get my hair cut and colored, but I also like to brighten up my smile.
I’ve been using Crest Whitestrips 1-Hour Express and they are super convenient and easy. I’ve used a previous version of these strips in the past, but these are amazingly simple since they only take one hour. My commute is typically about an hour so I have been popping them on before getting in my car, and then removing them when I reach my parking garage!
They stay put and I can drink water and sing along with my car stereo along my commute. I’ve also used them sitting at home in the evening, and it took away the possibility of snacking on junk late at night. Win-win!
6. Remember, it’s just a photo.
I have a tendency to stress when the kids aren’t listening and things are going awry. But keeping it in perspective – it’s just a photo. Staying positive and smiling genuinely is the key to having a fantastic holiday photo. So don’t let the stress of it all get to you – take a deep breath and enjoy!
The secrets to keeping the holidays de-stressed is planning and keeping it low-key. Doing a few things to look and feel our best, combined with a positive attitude, can change our entire outlook on photos – and really any holiday activities!
I’m excited to get ready for a good photo this weekend. Now whatever shall I wear?
Don’t forget to check out the buy one get one free deal on Crest Whitestrips1-Hour Express Teeth Whitening Kit at Walmart! They give you a noticeably whiter smile in a super fast timeframe for your #HolidaySmile. Each package contains four packages of #Crest Whitestrips 1-Hour Express – and each package has a top and bottom strip inside.
The directions are minimal because there’s really not much to stress about – it takes about 6 seconds to put them on my teeth and go.
I hope these Six Tricks to Prepping for Holiday Photos are helpful in getting your holiday photos done while looking and feeling your best! Now if I could just untangle all these lights and get them to all work…
Six Tricks to Prepping for Holiday Photos! #HolidaySmile #Crest #holidayphotos
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Do you send holiday cards? Photo cards or non-photo cards?
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