A few days ago, I received my first Christmas card of the season. While I was excited to see a friend's family and read the message, it also filled me with angst.
It's not so much the sending of cards that gets me, it's the dread of trying to get a cute family photo that puts me in a cold sweat. For some reason, every other American family can easily snap a family photo, slap it on a card and send. For instance, I have a cousin who every year sends a darling photo of his son and dog. Every year the card looks like a Ralph Lauren ad complete with a blazing fire or freshly fallen snow. Then there's always some family, rosy cheeks and all, perched on a mountain top holding skies. It makes me want to flick them off with my fingers.
I'm not a Grinch, really I'm not. It's just the pressure of coming up with some cute idea, much less making my family go along with it. Last year, I got a reprieve having gone through cancer treatment. It was great. Expectations of me were so low that if I sent an email I was congratulated. But now, I have no excuse.
One year when my daughter was a toddler and we were decorating the tree, I simply draped a string of lights around her with a message "We hope your holiday is bright." Then another year, I was a crazed mom who brought Santa hats with us on vacation to Colorado. I made my kids perch on a rocky overlook with the hats on. They absolutely hated the ordeal until other hikers started cooing over them. Then, naturally, my kids started to ham it up and I couldn't get them down. I've even done something that would cause most parenting experts to wag their bony fingers at me. I've bribed my kids to be agreeable and take a good photo. Yes, it's true. They've gotten candy, movies and toys out of this task. I can hear the "tsk, tsk, tsk."
So this year, what am I going to do? Put them on the beach holding a fish? Make them sit on our town's "Tropical Santa" lap?" All would hate that but it would make me laugh. Oh, I just got an idea! Take their photo with them holding star fish in front of their eyes with a "starry night" message. Too hokey?
Wondering what I will bribe my kids with this year. They're older now and the bribes are getting more expensive.
The Wondering Texan
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| One card photo from Hilton Head, S.C. |
I'm not a Grinch, really I'm not. It's just the pressure of coming up with some cute idea, much less making my family go along with it. Last year, I got a reprieve having gone through cancer treatment. It was great. Expectations of me were so low that if I sent an email I was congratulated. But now, I have no excuse.
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| On the shore of Lake Michigan |
So this year, what am I going to do? Put them on the beach holding a fish? Make them sit on our town's "Tropical Santa" lap?" All would hate that but it would make me laugh. Oh, I just got an idea! Take their photo with them holding star fish in front of their eyes with a "starry night" message. Too hokey?
Wondering what I will bribe my kids with this year. They're older now and the bribes are getting more expensive.
The Wondering Texan
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