During High School my AP Lit teacher brought in a box.  He explained for the previous 30 something years he designed his own Christmas cards.  The truth of the matter was that he didn't "believe" in Christmas - I'm not sure why he used hand parenthesis when he stated that to us, but he did - so he created his own Holiday Cards.  Well, I "believe" in Christmas, but I loved the idea of creating ones own cards.  I filed that away with things to do with my own family one day. 

Ten years later I told Chris we were going to make our own cards.  He seemed to like that idea and he created the first one, a photo of an evergreen tree.  Since then the creation of the Christmas card is something we start working on around Halloween - the idea, the concept, the how and the why of it.  This year, however, I started thinking it's a pain.

It's a pain because we have to come up with an idea, we have to make the kids participate, we have to have them printed.  And it's not cheap.  I decided this year we were going to buy cards at Wal-Mart. 

Like all time saving, easy, economical ideas I have, this one ran into a problem.  My mom.

"What's your Christmas card this year?"  She asked over the phone.

"Whatever is on sale at Wal-Mart."

Silence.  The thing is when there's silence on that other end of the phone, it means my mother is trying to come up with a way to tell you what you're doing is stupid.  She doesn't just come out and say "That's stupid".  She words it in nice, supportive, motherly persuasion.

"But, you know, people look forward to getting your cards."  She says. 

"Who?"  I ask, knowing full well the only person on earth who collects these cards is her.  Everyone else tosses them at the end of the season with all of the other cards.  No one keeps Christmas cards. 

"Lots of people."  She says after a while.

"Name three."  I say.  I'm smiling because I know she can't.

"I do."  She admits.

I get off the phone with her and sketch out the card design.  I tell Chris.  We get the props ready.  We buy hay.  We turn the garage into a photo studio.  We move ladders, cameras, drop cloths.  Then we take a deep breath and prepare for the work ahead.

• Problem 1:  Gigi doesn't want to change clothes.  Too bad.  We explain she has to do as we tell her for the Christmas card.
• Problem 2:  Chris and I move a large wood planter filled with dirt, strawberry plants, and mint from the backyard to the garage.  It's heavy.  I have back strain.
• Problem 3:  Chris opened the hay and started setting up the props.  Immediately Chris, Will, and I start sneezing and can't quit.  Will's eyes start swelling.  Will can't breathe.  We have to break for a breathing treatment.
• Problem 4:  Field mouse living in the wood planter runs out wondering why his house has moved.  Gigi sees it and wants to keep him.
• Problem 5:  Gigi doesn't want to cooperate.  Gigi wants hot chocolate and wants to hold the blanket that we're using as a prop.  Hostile negotiations take place to get child card model to cooperate.
• Problem 6:  Will decides since he's "being professional" he should get paid by way of allowance increase because he's not causing problems and Gigi is.  He begins contract negotiations.
• Problem 7:  All negotiations are set, photographer gets ready....  Batteries in the flash are dead.  Quick break.

Eventually we got the cards made.  Next year we're buying cards and Will can color a special card for Mom.