Christmas Card 2012...

One of my favorite things about December is getting the mail. Everyday there's a new batch of Christmas cards waiting to be opened. Updates from friends and family- many of which we haven't seen in years and we look forward to the updated family picture and letter. We hang them proudly in our kitchen and find guests admiring them as well.

As much as I love receiving Christmas cards, I also love sending them. Each year they'be been a little different. Most have been a nice family photo with a generic saying - Merry Christmas - Sending Joy - Happy Holidays - you know what I'm talking about and this has worked for us for years. Last year, we stepped out of our comfort zone just a bit. (here) We played off the idea of our weekly photo shoot of Mr. B and made a card out of it. It worked well and was quite personal. After last years card I realized how fun it was to step outside of the tiny box I had made for myself. Christmas cards for our family didn't have to be totally formal. So my mind started working - what could I do different for this card?? Over the summer, we solidified our plans to be the Incredibles for Halloween and immediately I saw our Christmas card. Funny enough, my husband didn't even disagree with me, he loved the idea. So just before heading how to go trick-or-treating we shot our photos for the Christmas card - still with an agreeable husband.

Throughout Halloween night we got so many comments - of course we did, we were totally decked out as a family. I could see Steve start to get slightly self-conscious as other men claimed you couldn't pay them to wear the costume. I could see the Christmas card idea start to diminish! It wasn't too long after when the card discussion surfaced that Steve no longer thought it was a good idea to wear a costume on the Christmas card. I designed it out anyway and once he saw it complete he couldn't argue that it wasn't great. Still there was resistance. We agreed the card would go to everyone - but co-workers would get a nice formal card, maintaining professionalism and dignity with the people he sees for hours every day!

But everyone else received this: (It was a multi-fold card and folded out quite long!) Just in case you need a close up: It's definitely a once in a lifetime card, there is no way my husband will ever put on that costume again!! But it was totally worth it...Steve might disagree! I might have ruined my chances at a fun card next year-

Oh well, Merry Christmas from the Pothiers!