Right now, we are in the midst of what we call the “busy season” for us family photographers. During the months of October-November, you can find me living in my editing cave - where I shoot, sift and edit ~20,000 photos when all is said and done. I am going on my tenth year since beginning my photography business and just decided a couple years ago that I would take the month of December off to enjoy time with my family and avoid the high stress situation of having to get photos back to clients in time to order Christmas cards. It has freed me up to really savor and enjoy the season of celebrating the birth of my Savior, instead of dreading it!

All that said, I really don’t like turning away anyone and get bummed every time I have to do it. Although I do have a great list of referrals that I am happy to send over, because I genuinely feel like family photos are so important! And in case you needed a few reasons to book your family session a little earlier next year, I wanted to share a few of my own family photos (taken by the wonderful Adriana Kay | edited by me) with a few of my own personal reasons for making photos a priority, at least, once a year.

1. Memories

   There will never be a photo you will regret taking, but you will always regret not taking a photo. There are so many memories that our brains will forget, unless we document them. A picture often triggers a memory. There are many things about my childhood that I don’t remember, but when I flip through a photo album the stories about that season of life often come back to me. The missing teeth, the clothes I was wearing, the haircut… they all tell a story. Capturing your current season of life is something you will never regret.
   
   Fun story: My oldest daughter, Hannah, broke her wrist a month before our family session and was scheduled to get her cast off the MORNING of our photos! I bought the dress with long sleeves, just in case she had to still wear the bright pink cast. It would have been a memory!

2. Kids grow so fast

If you’re a parent, you know that the “days are long, but the years are short.” Kids grow and change so fast, that I recommend taking family photos at least twice a year until your kids reach about 2 or 3 years old. I love looking at our family photos from previous years and seeing how much my kids have grown and changed. These photos that we took only two weeks ago are already outdated, because my youngest lost her FIRST tooth a few days later! I am thankful that I have these memories captured of her with all her baby teeth :) I have also thought about the fact that my son, Micah, is due to get braces in a few weeks and this may be the last family session where he is still shorter than me!

3. deepens your bond as a family

One of the main reasons that family photos are often avoided (besides cost) is that they can feel awkward. Truly, the most awkward thing that you can do is just stand there and hold a cheesy smile for 30 minutes. I do not recommend. I also know that is what everyone’s perception of a family session seems to be. But if you find the right photographer and go into the session with the perspective that you came to connect as a family then I believe that will change the photos you receive. I have been around a ton of different family dynamics and love adding ways for you to loosen up and have fun together. These are the moments you will want to remember. Did I have three chins in a couple shots while spinning my daughter around in circles? Yes, maybe. Did we all have fun together and end up getting a few good keepers in the process? Absolutely.

4. pictures make great gifts

Every year, it never fails that my parents ask us for photos for Christmas. Investing in a family session is one way to pass on the gift of a captured moment to loved ones. Updating the photo frames on the wall doesn’t take much effort, but it makes a huge impact on the people who walk into your home. Also, Christmas cards truly are my favorite gift to receive from friends far and wide every year!

5. They will outlive you

There are tons of really good reasons to have family photos taken so that you can enjoy them, here and now. But one of the most important to me, is knowing the value of having that last captured photo with a family member. I am so thankful for the photo I have with my granny hugging me before my wedding and for the photographer who took it. I didn’t know it would be the last photo of us together, but just a few months later that photo became cherished for a lifetime. This is one reason I still love doing extended family sessions, although it takes a little more work to plan out and coordinate everyone’s schedules. Buying an extended family session in advance also makes a really good Christmas gift (hint, hint… I have gift cards available!) You just never know when that last photo may come.

The countdown til Christmas is officially on! Every year since becoming a parent people have told me, "Just wait until next year... it gets better!" Well, this is the 5th Christmas we've celebrated with Micah and our 3rd Christmas with Hannah, and they were right... it just keeps getting better!

I just love that they are both able to grasp the concept of what Christmas means this year. Not just when it comes to the trees, decorations and presents (although, they have loved all of that and are literally "grasping" at the gifts under the tree already!) But thanks to a cute little advent calendar I found at Home Goods (pictured above) and these adorable free-printable scripture cards that I found here, they are learning the true meaning of why we celebrate this special holiday. 

Each morning, they wake up and are excited to open the next pocket on the calendar. In each pocket, I've included two small candy canes and two Scripture cards that chronologically tell the story of Jesus' birth. At first, I thought the candy cane would be the bribery they needed to sit still and pay attention to the Scripture. And it was for the first couple days. But now, on Day 6, they have started to get excited about hearing the rest of the story! We read each previous Scripture, so the story makes sense in context. And Micah has even memorized the first couple of verses! By Christmas day, they will know the whole story of how our Savior Jesus came to earth. 

I also let them decorate their own little Christmas tree with special and homemade ornaments we've collected since they were born. These days pass so quickly, I want to make sure to document what I can to remember these first Christmases with them. Only 19 days left!

Hannah reading the "Day 3" scripture card. 

It's the eve before Christmas Eve. The day before everything becomes a giant blur and we wake up with PCD (Post-Christmas Depression) wondering what just happened and where all our money went.

Or maybe that's just me.

But likely, most of you probably know what I’m talking about.

Before we let these next few days pass as quickly as a slice of ham - I just want to take a moment to reflect on the reason we celebrate in the first place.

A Savior came for us.

I can get caught up in watching cheesy Christmas movies and baking cut-out cookies with the best of them - but nothing gets my heart going more than reflecting on Jesus coming to earth as a baby.

I'll be honest, for twenty-five Christmases that didn't really mean much to me. I mean I thought it was adorable and everything - Jesus as a baby, with shepherds and wise men bowing down to Him. I pictured the scene from The Lion King when Mufasa was holding Simba up for all the animal kingdom to see. Except, Jesus' crowd was a little smaller - but considering the angels - still epic, nonetheless.

Now that I've had two babies of my own, I consider so many other things about the infancy of Christ.

Like, remembering the first moment I laid eyes on my own baby boy's face. It was an overwhelming feeling that I've never been able to put into words. And one that I imagine overwhelmed Mary in a similar, and even greater way. Her baby boy was also God in the flesh. You don't have to be a parent to consider the awe of holding God for the first time. But somehow, I never really grasped it until I was.

I also consider things like the fact that Jesus would have once had to have his diaper changed. Talk about humility.

There is actually a common theme of humility strung throughout the story of Jesus' birth. From the unwed mother who carried him, to the unconventional place He was born, to the first people to learn about his arrival - Jesus was not sent to be royalty on earth. And yet, God chose for Jesus to be biologically carried full-term and born from a woman because, he wanted him to have a birthday. He wanted His Son to be celebrated. And from the moment the angels appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of our Savior, the celebration hasn't stopped!

And thousands of years later we have an established calendar holiday for the birth of Jesus Christ - the day we call, "Christmas." 

But if I could be honest with you, Christmas Day as much as I enjoy it, doesn't quite seem like enough. First of all, it comes and goes so quickly (TWO MORE DAYS!) And I struggle to fit in every single tradition - decorate the tree, go see Christmas lights, read stories, open gifts, prepare food, watch movies, sing songs, eat food and enjoy being with family. Those are all wonderful things and great ways to celebrate, but if we were really to celebrate the birth of Jesus the way God intended it - I think we would do more seeking of His face and less stuffing of ours (but by all means, please do stuff your face - good food shouldn't go to waste!)

When you believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus, just celebrating His birth isn't enough. He becomes worthy of celebration in the normal, mundane, every day of your life.

And this, my friends, is the most wonderful news of all! Good news to those of you who want peace, love and joy all year long. And good news to those who feel like Christmas Day is full of pain and a longing for better days. 

This Christmas will be a bit of a different one for us. We'll be missing some family members and utilizing the (great) invention of Facetime and social media to share moments with others.

But when traditions end, plans fall through and family can't be together to celebrate - Jesus still deserves to be.

And maybe, for some of you, this will be the first Christmas you really, truly see Jesus as the reason to celebrate. I can promise you, that once you do - Christmas will never be enough for you either.