Living in another country, it was my habit every year at Christmas to have a family portrait taken so I could send it home to my family for them to follow the progress of the kids.

Every year it was a struggle to get that damn portrait taken as most of the time the kids were not in the mood. They were more interested in eating the candy from their stocking or playing with newly acquired toys. When I had lived in my in laws house we would go out for dinner on Christmas as I did not wish to cook dinner there and besides at that time I could not find a turkey to buy. During that time it wasn’t that difficult to get every one dressed up as we would be going out afterwards.

After moving out of the house and into our own place it became more difficult. One year our camera broke down and so we couldn’t get the picture taken and the kids were ecstatic. Looking at these pictures of days past you can see the kids dressed in their best clothes, their updo just right and flattened down and sometimes my son would be wearing a tie his father forced him to wear. Some of the pictures show my son making funny faces as was his habit or sticking his two fingers behind his sister’s head. Being a right royal pain in the arse until his father yelled at him. My husband has always loved to take pictures so we have stacks and stacks of picture around the house of every holiday, every day out, the kids first day of school, when they were babies and so on.

The year before my husband died was the last nice family portrait taken of my family with the exception of my daughters wedding, where everyone was required to dress punk as it was a punk themed wedding. Portraits of Christmas now, if we take one, because most of the time the kids are not bothered to pose for pictures, see’s everyone dressed in ripped shorts and t – shirts and updo standing up on end. Every ones face looks stoned as some may be hung over from making merry the night before. Mine looking more stoned then the rest.

So now I do not bother to take a family portrait for which my kids are grateful. Christmas day is hot and no one feels like dressing up for pictures. We now just take snapshots and if I remember to, I send them to my family. These pictures show us opening presents dressed in ripped shorts and t shirts and updo standing on end. I have to admit though; it would be nice to have a family portrait as we are now, perhaps when my children decide to give me grandchildren.

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Tags: Babies, Christmas, First Day Of School

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