I love Christmas cards. In today’s digital world there’s just something personal about getting a piece of mail that’s not a bill, not a form letter, but a card mailed just to you.
And I enjoy sending them just as much as receiving them. It’s a chance to reach out to friends and loved ones to let them know they’re thought of during this special time of year.
But several years ago when it was time for us to take the annual family picture for our card, something felt off.
Getting all dolled up for the perfect pic just didn’t represent where we were in life. We had two small kids and my wife and I were barely keeping it together. Our daily routine was messy and chaotic.
Why not make that our Christmas card?
We decided to go all-in and shot a picture that showcased a more realistic example of our life, chaos and all. Messy kitchen, one kid on the countertop, the other having just spit up, spilled milk, a cat in the cupboard and a fire on the stove. I imagine many of you can relate.
Our friends and family enjoyed the card and we decided to make it an annual tradition. The next year depicted an Istook family Christmas morning.
The year after that, decorating for Christmas. And then a year later, waiting for Santa, all but one of us asleep. Each year we try to include some personal elements, a couple of hidden gags and our family cat Sofia.
Making the annual card has become a labor of love. I shoot and edit all the pictures, and it takes hours upon hours upon hours to photoshop everything together to get the card just right.
We have a lot of fun doing it, and the feedback from our loved ones has made every second worth it. Life is short and if we can inject a little levity into someone’s Christmas season, then our mission is accomplished.
With our move back to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, this year we decided to lean into our Lone Star roots with a Texas-themed card. With a little help from the folks at the Fort Worth Stockyards, I think we pulled it off.
Hopefully it’s one people will enjoy just as much as we enjoyed making it.
So from our family to yours, however you celebrate the holidays, may they be filled with merriment, love and joy!
