Photo OP

Admittedly, I haven't posted for a while. Although it seems like I say this every year, this season really did sneak up on us. We have been so busy with extensive holiday cooking and cleaning, clandestine present procurement, gift smuggling and wrapping, travel planning...and Holiday cards. I find myself wondering about the history of Holiday card writing and why it has turned into something much bigger than I suspect it was originally intended to be. Was it Ms. Post who pushed us to the brink of the absurd? Is it our ego that drives us to be the lady on the block who sends the most cards (I know folks who send hundreds each year...all hand written). Maybe it is a trick of the Hallmark folks teaming up with the USPS to get us to spend more in cards and stamps.

This year, in an effort to be thrifty and crafty and occupy a bored toddler on a rainy afternoon, we made our Holiday cards. It was actually quite fun although we did end up with one heck of glittery mess tracked all through the house. Even the dog was coated in it. As an expression of our holiday cheer, we are mailing the glitter bombs to each of you so watch out!

Enclosed in each card we will be including a photo of the little guy. Getting him to sit for the photo was really something of a challenge. Our first effort was early in the season. We hit the Santa Stand as soon as it opened in mid-November. Unfortunately for us (and Santa) Olin was freaked out by the jolly bearded fellow. He clung to my leg and would not let go despite all of the elves best efforts. Clearly, this was not the time to attempt the photo.

Later in the week, we were entering a grocery store when Olin spied a Salvation Army bell ringer dressed up as Santa. Que the clinging and crying. Apparently this Santa trauma is going to require long term therapy. Thus, no Santa photo for the cards this year. Sorry, but we did try.

Plan B: We decided to take the photo ourselves. One rainy afternoon I set up the camera in front of the tree to take the Holiday photo. I dressed Olin in some festive duds, put the dog and cat in back yard as a precautionary measure, and crossed my fingers. Olin wandered in to see what I was up to, promptly grabbed his car and stood in front of the tree and smiled. I thought "what luck". I got about 5 shots before he became enthralled with the camera (such is life with a curious two year old). So he commandeered it and I took this shot with my cellphone. As of this writing, I am undecided as to which photo will go in the cards. Consider it a Holiday surprise.