Holidays....Ummm, Yay! | {ahp} | lacey/olympia area photographer |

I adore fall. The colors, the smell of apples, leaves blowing around, the festivals and pumpkin patches...I could go on and on. Simply said, it makes my heart warm! It is also the time of year that stores turn into Hallothankstmas! (Yes that is a lovely (completely made up) compound word rooting from Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.) You know what I mean...you walk into good ole Target to find Halloween hugging Christmas...with a pinch of Thanksgiving somewhere in between. It is almost too much for me to handle...who does not LOVE holidays!? As a child I could hardly contain myself when each holiday rolled around. As an adult...there are definitely differences. Instead of worrying about what waits for me under the tree, I now have to carefully budget and plan and create the gifts that those closest to me will cherish. In all of the hustle and the bustle...we lose the magic of the holidays and forget about what it means to truly bring simple JOY to others.

Holiday portraits and Christmas cards have lost their importance somewhere between childhood and now. We rely so heavily on sending e-cards and generic well-wishes on Facebook that we have forgotten about what it feels like to open a Christmas card with the faces of those whom you adore plastered upon it. After opening that card you feel a sprinkling of holiday spirit...and you happily hang it up for all to see. We now assume that everyone knows how we are doing and what our kids look like because Facebook is there to do the work for us.

With October slowly winding down, I wanted to stress the importance of getting those holiday photos done and ordering those cards. I don't care if you book with me or another photographer, have a friend snap a shot, or stick your camera on a tripod... just make it a point to get out there and do it! There is no replacement for that bit of holiday spirit that is delivered along with your cards. Not to mention that in a few years down the road, Facebook will not display your memories proudly on your wall.  The best part of this advice? You still have PLENTY of time before things get crazy...so get on it!

P.S. Those who are considering it but have not yet done so...if you book a holiday session with me between now and December 20th, I will give you the choice between a FREE 11x14 (a $45.00 value) or 25 holiday cards (up to a $50.00 value)!

The fine print:  This must be on a newly scheduled session and cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers.