8 Tips for Taking The Best Christmas Card Photos with Your Kids

If you’ve found yourself struggling in the past to get great holiday photos with your family, then you’re in the right place. These tips for taking Christmas card photos with your kids may just help. It’s time to get those smiles and cute holiday outfits ready – tis the season for family Christmas card photos!

Taking Christmas card photos is an annual tradition for many families. But as much as we love the end result, the process can get stressful. From staging the photo and deciding who will be taking it, to coordinating outfits and everything in between, it can get a bit overwhelming. Especially if your kids really just aren’t feeling it that day. But there are ways that you can take great Christmas card photos with your kids, all while minimizing the stress. 

How to Take Christmas Card Photos with Your Kids

Family Christmas card photos are always a treat to receive. Seeing your family and their smiling faces every season is sure to bring joy to everyone on the receiving end of your efforts. What they don’t see though, is all the work that went into getting those heartwarming shots. Thankfully there are ways to make taking Christmas card photos with your kids less stressful. 

1. Choose the Right Location 

Location means everything when it comes to your family Christmas cards. Whether you choose indoors or outdoors, you will want to choose an environment with minimal distractions. This is because you want your little ones to be able to focus on the task at hand. If the location you choose has too much going on, you’re going to find it difficult to keep your children focused on taking the pictures. 

2. Have a Plan 

Before you drag your entire family in front of the camera, make sure you have everything ready. Is the setting cleaned and distraction free? Do you know who will be standing where? These things are important to have figured out before you just start snapping photos. You want to minimize waiting and frustration as much as possible. If you take too long preparing in the moment, your kids are more likely to lose their focus. 

3. Have Rewards Ready 

Most children have a really short attention span, and especially when it comes to taking photos. Bribery isn’t always a bad thing! Offer them some kind of a treat once the photos have been taken. This will help keep them motivated to keep smiling and following directions. 

4. Dress for Success

Involve your children in the process of picking your photoshoot looks. This doesn’t mean let them wear anything they want, although candid photos can be rather entertaining.

Try setting out a few outfit selections that coordinate with the colour scheme you’re going for and allow them to choose. This will help them feel more involved in the process, and thereby motivating them to make the photoshoot a success. Whether you go with ugly Christmas sweaters, matching onesies, or a more classy look, your pictures are sure to turn out beautifully. 

5. Make Sure the Timing is Right

Choose a time when you know your kids will be in the right space. Taking Christmas card photos with your kids should never interrupt a nap or snack time. Picking the right time to take your photos is important because if your little one is in a bad mood, they’ll be uncooperative and everyone will get frustrated. 

6. Make the Photoshoot Fun 

Taking a family Christmas card photo doesn’t have to be all work and no play. In fact, if you want real candid photos, have some fun with it. Make jokes, make funny faces, tell funny stories. The kids will love it, everyone will be truly happy, and the photos will turn out great. 

7. Take Lots of Photos

Chances are you aren’t going to get that ideal photo by taking only one shot. Have fun with it. Take several different shots, in several different positions. The more you take, the more likely you are to find that one that feels perfect for your family. 

8. Be Ok with Imperfection 

You may not get that perfectly staged shot and that’s okay. Sometimes the best family Christmas card photos are from those in between moments that show the realness of your family. Perfection is over rated. 

When it comes to taking Christmas card photos with your kids, it’s important to keep in mind that even though everything won’t be perfect, it will be absolutely worth it. You are making memories that will last a lifetime, creating a photo that will bring a smile to your friends’ and family’s faces, and enjoying an experience you’ll get to remember fondly again and again.