A Very Cheesy Christmas

This morning my nine year old daughter suggested that we take photographs of the family and make them into our own personalised Christmas cards this year. This is not something that sits comfortably with me. I told her that I don't know anyone in Ireland who sends personalised Christmas cards and when you stop and think about it, there are only three groups of people in the whole world do think it is a good idea:

animal lovers,

.....Eurpoean royalty....

......and Americans.

"But wouldn't it be nice to be the first family in the Ireland to send our friends a family photo card?" she asked. Would it? I couldn't work it out. It was too early in the morning. I needed toast to help me focus. Perhaps a family christmas photo would be nice but only if we took the right kind of photo. Nothing too predictable or cheesy. There's nothing worse than a cheesy greeting card to put you off your mince pies. 

And we certainly wouldn't want one that involved nudity,

.....or highly inflammable costumes. 

Back to the kitchen, and my daughter who had found a camera. "Can't I take a nice photo of you and Dad?" Oh help. I knew exactly what she had in mind. A christmas couple shot, all woolly jumpers and white teeth. 

"No. No couple shots, it's too early". Then, "What about if I made a Christmas card with just you in it then?" she pointed the camera at me. I had just got out of bed. It was 7.30 am.  Before I knew it, the flash had gone off. I hadn't even had a cup of tea. I hadn't even thought about smiling. It was a Monday morning. "Oh, this is LOVELY" she said. I looked at the photo. I looked like an arsonist. It could ever be used as our family Christmas card. It would however, be ideal  if ever the Irish Prison Service decided to send put a Christmas photo card to ex-offenders. 

My husband walked through the kitchen on the way out to work. "I know, I'll take one Dad then". "NO! I'm not photogenic. I don't like having my photo ta...." was all he managed before the flash went off. Poor child.  Two horrific family portraits that if made into a Christmas card, would make any recipients vomit. 

Not put off,  she started clicking randomly, hoping that one of the images would be good enough to be made into a Christmas card. The first was of the kitchen sink,

the second, of the fishtank,

and finally, my broken toe (which, despite the bruising, looked much better than my face at 7.30am).

Even with a bit of glitter and spray snow, neither a kitchen sink, a fish tank or a toe makes for a good Christmas card.  She knew it, I knew it and christmas card manufacturers around the world know it too. She went outside in to the garden, out to the yard where our other pets live. Five minutes later she returned in a state of great excitement. "LOOK AT THIS!"

So I did. I looked at twenty photos of the pet rabbits. "Wouldn't they look lovely in a little Santa hat? OR what about if we dressed them up as REINDEERS or as snowmen?" Rabbits? That would put us into the 'animal lover' category of personalized Christmas card senders. Am I am ready for that? Reindeer Rabbits? What would the Rabbit Welfare League have to say? 

I have been working on the Christmas card all day. I have come up with two lovely photos that could work with just a few more editing tweaks (one needs a bit of tinsel and perhaps some baubles to make it a little more festive).

 I shall let the children decide which we one send out.

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