Holiday Magic

Tis the season for holiday photos!

My number one tip for getting kids (especially my own) excited to shoot is introducing some Christmasy props they haven't seen before we begin. My children are so used to a lens being pointed at them that a new element helps tremendously in keeping them happy and engaged.

This year, I snagged these Rudolph hats at Target's dollar spot for a mere $3, and voila, happy reindeer bros.

I packed a bag full of various and sundry other festive distractions to keep things interesting.

And let the silliness commence.

My favorite Christmas photos are the ones that seem to capture just a little bit of that holiday magic. I can remember watching my dad start covering the house in all of our twinkling colored lights, and thinking that nothing could be more exciting. Suddenly our front yard, our mantle, our basement were all transformed from the everyday to the magical, and Christmas was finally here again. My sister and I would dance around the basement, lit by nothing but multicolored lights, belting out Christmas carols, feeling nothing but pure joy and anticipation for the holiday magic still to come.

So, naturally, I like to incorporate some of those special twinkle lights into our holiday photos whenever possible. In the glow of those lights, I see my kids' excitement, and my own childhood joy reflected back at me.