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| 2010 - full cooperation |
Several years ago it became tradition to dress the kids up
in their new Christmas pajamas, sit them in front of the tree and snap a photo
to include in our Christmas cards. I can’t exactly remember how this started
but I assume on some distant Christmas past when the kids were acting all jolly
around the tree a spontaneous picture was taken and thus began the yearly photo. Well, as of Christmas present, I am
officially retiring the tradition.
Instead of jolly children huddled round the tree with
anticipation and family love gleaming in their eyes, I have one who is too
cool, one that will not sit down for more than one quick snap (and let’s face
it – I usually take about fifty trying to find the perfect ‘spontaneous’ shot)
and only one - my current favourite - who was trying her hardest to make the
whole thing happen.
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A picture of a picture :) of this year's photo.
I particularly love the green balloon in the background. |
This year’s photo was a complete fiasco. It began with bribing large amounts of candy
right before bedtime so my two year old would let me do her hair. Then there
was convincing my nine year old to put on his Christmas pajamas. As it was
happening I felt like I was watching the scene from A Christmas Story when Ralphie has to wear the pink bunny outfit
from Aunt Clara. I will not put him through this again. Then there was me, not
at my best, yelling at everyone – even the dogs. (Note: I just went upstairs to
get my daughter toilet paper and got sidetracked having a mother-son chat about
the whole thing leaving said daughter stranded on the toilet for an
unacceptable amount of time.)
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| 1990 |
I could see the pain in my son’s eyes as I was yelling at
him to sit closer to his sister and look happy for crying out loud. I remember
those moments from my own past. We used to have to go for a ‘family’ walk to a
bridge where we camp to get a photo of my sisters and me in the same spot every
year. It was the worst part of going camping and you can see by my forced smile
in every photo, spanning many years, that I was miserable. Why would I
intentionally do that to my own kids? Or looking back, why didn’t I just
cooperate to make my mom happy?
Interestingly, although I was only able to take one photo,
it actually isn’t that bad and will probably make it into this year’s card. And unless all three of my children
spontaneously sit around the tree in their Christmas pajamas again, it will
probably be the last of its kind. It feels a little sad to grow out of a
tradition. I can feel us being pulled away from some of the things we have
always done as the kids get older. But I
will not be a crazy person (on this matter anyway) and relentlessly force my
family into something that inevitably makes all of us miserable.
Next year, I will look for a picture that captures my three
kids as they are – imperfectly perfect – just the way I like them (after I’ve
had a chance to reflect anyway).
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1984 - I love these old shots. I have had many
discussions with my mother about this hair
cut she gave me. Even my daughter hates to
look at it. |
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