Your Holiday Family Photo, or LACK of one, does not define you!

To the NOT so picture perfect families,

Ti's the season for family portraits!  But what happens if your family is just not one of those picture perfect holiday families?  Mine is not.

This post is for all the mamas and papas who have kids LIKE MINE who don't like having their photos taken at all and especially not when they're being posed or told to smile.  No amount of bribery can get them to look happy on Santa's lap.  SOME bribery might get them in the same frame as Santa but they sure as hell aren't going to enjoy it or smile, no matter how much I beg and plead.  Some days I wish we'd have a posed family photo where everyone is actually looking at the camera and smiling, for my sake, but that's just not us and I'm okay with that.

We've had professional family portraits taken exactly once and it was when my kids were much younger.  I do cherish those and think we all look great but those photos don't accurately represent my real life.

We do not dress alike, wear plaid on a regular basis or look perfectly groomed EVER.

We do not walk hand in hand as a family, five people wide, as we stroll down a boardwalk on the river.

We do not stop in the middle of said boardwalk to lounge with perfectly crossed legs and placed hair to gaze out over the water all precisely at the same time.

Did those pictures turn out great?  Yes.  Am I glad to own those photos?  Yes.  Am I okay with the fact that it's been 7 years since our last professional family portrait?  Yes.

Daily now my Facebook feed is filled with staged scenery, groomed parents and children, some dawning matching sweaters, santa hats, faux gifts and the like.  If that's not YOU or YOUR FAMILY don't let it get to you.  The perfect family photo means nothing.  If it's your thing and you enjoy them then that's great, this post is not intended to knock those who have their portraits taken or those who's kids know how to put on an adorable smile each time a camera is pointed their way.  Some kids like being in front of the camera, mine do not.  This post is for all those people who have a family like mine, or like theirs, that despite being a loving, happy, thankful family – simply do not have the holiday portraits done to “prove” it.

Facebook is a great way to document your family's life, holidays, vacations, birthdays and milestones, but just because it's NOT on Facebook or captured in a frame worthy photo does not make it any less special.

Just like not all mothers and fathers receive Mother's & Father's Day gifts, not all families having matching holiday sweaters and fire places to gather round or the means OR desire to have professionally staged portraits taken and that's OKAY.

I simply want you to know that YOU are not the only ones.  I see you.  You matter.  Your family rocks and is wonderfully and uniquely yours.  You don't need a perfect holiday photo to show for it.

Smooches!

Julie

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