And So This is Christmas... Cards

*Updated with Quinlan's Artwork. Thanks TNG!

Upon arriving home from what had to be a record long week, my husband asked me about the picture I used for our Christmas card. And since he hadn't seen them, it meant only one thing.

He had talked to my in-laws.

Now as you might have guessed, I'm not so much for the "dress 'em up in velvet and hoist them both into a white sleigh with a fake snow background" type picture girl. I'd much rather send a picture of them both screaming their bloody lungs out or running naked through our house.

If that's not Christmas cheer, I'm not sure what is.

But as you probably figured, my in-laws are the total velvet and sleigh types, complete with perfectly matching outfits that were painfully searched for at Boscovs or other such places.

And so when I sent out a beautiful card featuring art by my daughter and a cute sticker picture of them in their halloween costumes well I just about committed a Christmas crime.

Except they won't ever tell me. Nor will they say how cute and original my cards were. They'll just send some backhanded, passive aggressive message to me through my husband that no self-loving mother would EVER send a Christmas card with their kids in anything but their Christmas best.

That they just so happened to purchase (at least for my daughter -- I fended off the polyester and velvet for my son's sake).

So next year, thanks to an idea from Liz in response to this post, I'm going green and will be sending an e-card with pictures and offering a $1 donation to my favorite charity in each person's name (on our mailing list).

No actual paper card? Now that should reaaaaaaallly send them over the edge.

 

So, internets, what picture did you send with your Christmas cards?

 

Comments

[Michele]

Last year - In sent cards of my kids in a candid photo - no shirts, in their underwear, but it was one that actually looked like I knew what I doing with a camera. But the expressions on their faces were just so *them* that I had to send it out. This year, however, I scanned their school photos (which actually came out really nice) because I've managed to lose my digital camera recharger in our last move. In July. Which is when I last took a picture. In my opinion - I'm sending greetings from my family to others. Don't like it? Suck it. You can get "perfect" on your OWN card.

[Jenn]

cards?? pfa. I sent ecards with a links to my online Christmas letter and flickr page!

[Kelly]

This (http://www.assortednutz.com/blog/Images/smallChristmas07b.jpg) is the family photo we had on our card. Your inLaws wouldn't know beauty if it bit them. Q's drawing is awesome!

[margalit]

How about this novel idea? Appease the asshats, make a card just for them (one of those photo cards from Walgreens sounds about right) and then send the one YOU want to everyone else on your list. You're never going to do anything right in their blind eyes, so at least if you make an attempt to appease them, they won't be able to raise holy hell about it. Hell, yes, but not HOLY hell!

[biodtl]

I love that card! Your in-laws are batshit crazy not to realize what a gem that is. This year, I was trying to take a photo for our card and the kids were carrying on and giving each other horns, so I used one of those, plus one good shot and made it a naughty/nice card.

[b*babbler]

Gosh - the passive aggressive thing is really getting to be a bit much. I have no idea how you don't totally lose your sh*t on their head.

[Cheryl]

My sister bought my baby daughter a Christmas-y velvet dress, so we put her in that, but the rest of our family was just in business casual. My card is holiday themed, though, so I guess I fell into that old trap this year. You can check out my card at this link: http://redpens-diapers.blogspot.com/2007/12/our-nifty-christmas-photo-card.html

[Christina]

Oh, "going green" is a great idea. Much better than my "Sorry, I was lazy so you get an e-card." this year.

Next year I'll call it being eco-conscious.

And the artwork is lovely. She's very talented.

[Phoenix]

I have no kids. But my sis sent out pics of her girls dressed up at Halloween. I see nothing wrong with it. A picture that Quinlan drew would be a welcome break from the dog pictures some of my relatives send out.

[Bitchy Mom]

We haven't taken a picture yet...

Life isn't easy with a 4 month old.

They tell me it just gets worse...

[The Other Sister-in-Law]

I loved your card! Very cute and original.

[Michelle]

I send out a few cards to people every year, but they are pretty simple, elegant things I find in some store.

But my hubby's freak-ass family always manages to send some "reminder" that we need to remember that "it's all about Jesus" bullshit. They even underline the key words. Blatant agenda pushing anyone?

Mine are just a basic "Have a wonderful holiday" kind of thing. And NO pictures of my children. They don't deserve them. We never see his family anyway, and I have no contact with mine.

You seriously need to get a book called "Toxic Inlaws". It's written by the same woman who wrote "Toxic Parents". Brilliant stuff, and it will keep you from losing your mind when you deal with people who make you crazy.

[Kellie]

Cards? Photo? I haven't even done her Christmas pictures yet. Was thinking I'll be sending "Happy New Year!" cards.

My in-laws? Will just LOVE it.

Or something.

[The NG's Little Sister]

Well baby Max LOOOOOVED that card. He was doing the screechy reach (hand outstretched, uh-uh-uh-uh) when he saw it, so as to say "I WANT that." He giggled when I gave it to him and spent a few minutes studying it. Too cute.

[ImpostorMom]

I sent a photo card with Boog's picture with Santa and also a cheesy photoshopped pic of him in a Santa suit. Just couldn't resist the camp.

I think that you card sounds wonderful and your in-laws suck.

[Windex]

I had to did the whole Christmas letter thing and included a picture of them on Santa but only becasue my 2 year-old and 1 year old were screaming to their lungs full capacity...Other than that we included pictures from my daughters first day of school and my 1 year-old getting into the cupbard with a mouth full of arrowroot cookies in his mouth.

[Must be Motherhood]

We did a collage of 3 photos over the year, the most recent from mid-November. I'm personally anti-toss the child in Santa's lap to amuse distant relative and old friends. Also, with only one child in tow, I'm highly impressed that anyone with two or more has the organizational power to send cards at all. Tell your inlaws to stick it in their ear!

[the new girl]

Pics were sent.

Suebob, I used to think the same things, until I had a baby! lmao.

I never knew that I could be 'green' and not send cards, instead of just 'lazy' (like I AM) not sending cards. Another thing that went by the way-side after having a kidlet. You should get it in a day or two.

P.S. Don't you just LOVE MGM all souped up on pregnancy hormones?!? Love. her.

[Gidge]

That was a lovely card! I don't get it, I mean it was really quite cute.
I like a nice holiday pic with the velvet and ribbons and such as much as the next person.
Unfortunately, it just gays up my sons too much.

[Wendy]

We are really green, we are not sending out Christmas cards. We did take a Santa picture with my kids dressed in the Christmas best (dress and sweater from Target). However, I told the lady at the mall to just take the picture with my son screaming already. Nothing she could have done would make him smile, so just knock it off. I have a nice picture with Santa kinda piss that his first kid was a screamer, my daughter chewing on her fingers and my son screaming and squirming to get away. Now, that says Christmas to me.

[Kristen]

I will be posting some of Quinlan's fabulous artwork shortly, however, I sent all of those cards out so I have not one.

But if http://thenewgirl.typepad.com or http://mom-101.blogspot.com might take a pic and email it to me, I'll happily post it.

I'm actually thinking of starting her a blog just as a way to keep track of it for her.

Okay. And me :)

[jaelithe]

Would you post Quinlan's picture that she drew? Pleeeeeeease? We keep hearing about what a genius artist she is but we haven't gotten to see her work in a while.

I want to be able to tell people I knew her work before she was famous.

I just took the photo we are sending with our cards today! And we are sending them tomorrow. NOT because I am a total slacker or anything. I just wait until the last minute like that because I like the taste of danger.

The photo is a picture of Isaac outside in a snowsuit about to throw a snowball. At the camera. So it's kind of like I'm having my kid throw snowballs at everyone I'm sending cards to. Merry Christmas!

[Fern]

We sent a DVD of our children wrestling and beating each other to the soundtrack of "Kung Fu Fighting."

I feel for you. Bad in-laws can kill a marriage. I think your cards sound really cute.

[Reiza]

Oh and I want to point out that we have a friend who was still sending those cheesy Picture People posed holiday card with a shot of her daughters when they were in high school. Her oldest was a senior and her youngest was either 15 or 16 and there they were, faces plastered with cheesy grins, laying on and around the "Ho, ho, ho" sign with the bright green backdrop.

Personally, I wouldn't put any post-pubescent girls anywhere near a sign reading, "Ho," and that has nothing to do with the fact that we're Jewish.

[Reiza]

Last year, I sent New Year cards using family pictures we took our selves at the park on Veterans day (dh came home from a deployment less than a week before) and 3 small individual shots.

This year, I didn't bother taking anything specifically for the holidays. I just used 4 random pictures (3 of the kids and one of dh and me).

I really like the artwork/card idea. We may have to try that next year.

You can always send New Year's cards. We've been doing it for years. Then you don't have to worry about decking the kids out in their Xmas best because they're not Xmas cards. It also gives you some extra time to pull everything together.

[mel from freak parade]

I haven't sent Christmas cards the past few years, but this was the last one we sent.....
http://freakparade.files.wordpress.com/2007/02/the-freak-parade-enjoys-christmas.jpg

Um...we're all wearing red...

Your inlaws need to relax. (Understatement of the year, I know.)

[Redneck Mommy]

Well I looked hard to find the cheesiest premade cards I could find (thank you local dollar store) and then inserted a family pic I creatively put together inside it. Boo wearing a thong on a Mexican beach, me standing beside him wearing black stripes where my boobs where hanging out and Fric and Frac photoshopped onto the beach beside us.

(I used a pic I took a couple weeks ago when they were screaming their faces off at each other and crying as argued while building a snowmen. Oh yea, they were in parkas too.)

It was brilliant. Guaranteed my inlaws will weep when they see it.

Of course, I neglected to show it to Boo before mailing it out. Another reason why our long distance marriage works.

I do like your ecard idea. It would really set them over the edge. Especially if I used a charity I know would set them off. Brilliant.

[mothergoosemouse]

Oh for fuck's sake.

You mean to tell me that they expected you to dress your children in the clothes they provided and use that as your card?

Two (or four) words for your in-laws:

BUTT (THE FUCK) OUT

[Julie Pippert]

I like the original cards, with the fun photos. I did a collage from our trip. I stole that idea from a friend's card from last year, where she did a collage of them over the year. It was my favorite card.

I like the e-Card idea even better. :) I hope that's a trend that gets going.

I always get the photo cards and wonder what to do with them so I end up with piles.

Julie
http://theartfulflower.blogspot.com
Using My Words

[Christina]

Here's ours!

http://s32.photobucket.com/albums/d41/Ctashjian67/xmaspostcardcopy.jpg

[Christy]

Yeah...we don't send out Christmas cards. I'm always in too much of a tailspin by the time December rolls around that I don't have the nerve to attempt such an ordeal.

I do send out Valentine's day cards though. I just use the list I could have used for Xmas cards and pick out a cute Vday outfit. I like it better anyway.

I do always give out Xmas pictures with folks' presents.

[Mom101]

Good for you, mama! That's awesome. Then when the in-laws complain you can just say, "Really? So you hate the environment? What would the baby Jesus say about that?"

We haven't sent out cards yet because we have no good pic of the girls together yet. Valentine cards, anyone?

[Kaely]

Ours were really really pretty this year (thank you tinyprints!). I *love* christmas cards. The picture I used is a tight close up on Baby Bear's face. He was wearing a very pretty chritmas outfit complete with his initials embroidered on the collar (what can I say, I'm a southern girl and I like all that stuff). But you can't see any of the clothes in the picture.

I don't think I've ever sent my in-laws a Christmas card though. I always think of cards as something you send to people you won't see over the holidays, extended family and friends who live far away.

[haley-o]

Well, I'm Jewish. But, if I DID celebrate Christmas, I'd send the screaming-type pics, for sure. I have NEVER taken my kids for professional pictures. Hate that!

[Manic Mommy]

One of the best ones we got was of a cousin's kid in his Superman costume. Even had some silly 'have a super holiday' type caption.

Ours this year was a pic of the boys while we were down the Cape this summer. They looked cute and happy. What more do you want?

[margaret]

I took the kids hiking in November. They had on bright colored fleece jackets (and one had a vest over a bright greet shirt), colorful scarves, hats and mittens. Then I took a bunch of pictures outside of them having fun!

[Kristen]

Good point, Suebob. Although this year was tough with the huz away. I like seeing pics of my friends too.

Quinlan actually drew (no pun) our family so that's what her art was. I have to say, she drew me with pretty sizeable boobs too. Always a plus.

[Sugared Harpy]

The one year we did Christmas-y pictures, we put them in PAJAMAS. That was adorable. Pjs and bare feet. I could have eaten those pictures they were so adorable.

And then we hoarded them, gave them out only to our closest friends and family, and probably forgot to send Christmas cards at all.

[FENICLE]

We had to have a family pic taken at church for the directory and since we were all dressed up & the photographer was selling the cards hard...I caved. Only when they arrived, they were the WORST cards ever. So after many, many angry calls later I got my money refunded and turned to a family pic of the 3 of use taken in Florida on vacation this fall.

I just got them sent out. And to hell with those who say anything about the fact we're dressed for warm weather, not winter (see I am predicting my in-laws response already....)

[Fairly Odd Mother]

Our photo is one of the kids all laughing for the camera----squinty-eyed, open mouth laughing. The only glitch is the photo was taken in June, and they are dressed in spring clothes. So I used a red background to match my oldest's red (short sleeved) dress, and that worked.

[Nicole]

Um.

No cards. Period. I did receive several but personally, its really one more piece of paper I don't need hanging around. I'd rather people call. And I call them.

I tried the e-card route one year and had a friend yell at me that she'd rather get no card than an e-card.

Um. Ya. Apparently e-cards are thoughtless.

So now I don't think about it at all. :)

[Stacey]

No photo. None at all. The cards were a generic pack of 25 from Wal mart. Horrors! Especially as I am a scrapbooker. The expectation for something homemade with frills & ribbons and perfectly posed photos is high. Though I don't know why. I have *never* produced anything like that. I emailed my second son's birth announcements.

[Awesome Mom]

I do yearly pictures of the boys. This year they were dressed in a red or green long sleeved t-shirt and wearing matching jeans. I did not have the energy to get them matching dress up outfits and I think that the dressed down look turned out pretty cute.

[Kim]

Family photo, including the dog, not particularly dressed up. Tried to get everyone in red and gray but husband ignored the memo. Three years ago it would have really bugged me that we were not all matchy-matchy. A few thousand poopy diapers got me over that delusion.

[Submommy]

See, I have such a girlie girl, that I can't actually GET her out of her Christmas Best. She agreed to take it off yesterday after she told us that she felt like she was going to throw up. Apparently puke on her favorite dress didn't really turn her on. I had a cute idea for a card - but it cost so much money that we bent under the pressure to do the usual Costco quickie.

[Anniemom]

How bout this... we have never sent Christmas cards. Bah! But not humbug... we love Christmas, the huz and I. But we just never stay with that particular tradition, don't know why. We send tons of emails and make phone calls and visits, but the card? Not so much. Imagine the chagrin. I dig your card idea, you should link it so we can all see it and tell you how stinkin cute it is!

[Suebob Davis]

I love to get pictures of people's kids...but I want the parents in the photo too. The parents are my friends or family - I want to see them. Instead, I get all these little parentless children. It makes me feel like they don't belong to anyone.

[jen]

ah. NO picture. so how's that for really initiating a revolution.

take that, everybody. just take that!