ThriftyFun News
Volume Eight, Number 32, September 29, 2006
http://www.ThriftyFun.com
Hello,
If you plan on doing a family or funny photo with your Christmas or Holiday cards this year, now is a good time to come up with an idea for a clever photo. In this newsletter we have tons of ideas submitted by our readers. We hope you find them useful or they spark your imagination.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
Tips:
Today's Sponsors
Free Photo Organizer From Google
"Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share
all the pictures on your PC. Every time you open Picasa, it
automatically locates all your pictures (even ones you forgot you
had) and sorts them into visual albums organized by date with
folder names you will recognize. You can drag and drop to arrange
your albums and make labels to create new groups. Picasa makes
sure your pictures are always organized."
More Information:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf61219677.tip.html
New Contest
The above contests are weekly. We pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week. Each winner will win $25!
Tips
Christmas Card Photo Ideas
Santa's Reindeer, Merry "Twistmas" and Large Gift Boxes
Last year, we went to the edge of the woods, my husband wore a red sweat suit with a santa hat. He is disabled in a wheelchair so we decorated it up like a sleigh. We have two daughters (then 5 and 7). We three each had brown sweat suits on and reindeer antlers on our heads(bought at Wal-mart). We took red garland and draped it from my husbands wheelchair, to me sitting on my knees, then to my 7 year old on her knees, then to my 5 year old on her knees, and her nose was painted red like Rudolph. It turned out to be the cutest card yet. Our friends loved it. I was afraid they would think we were a little crazy. I set up the camera on the tripod and would have to run to get in position which made everyone laugh for a really good photo.
The year before that we took pairs of adult size jeans, stuffed them with filling, safety pinned rubber boots to the end of them, then posed my two girls infront of the Christmas tree laying down on their bellies. We just put the fake legs on top of theirs and pulled the feet over their shoulders to look like their legs were twisted over their shoulders. It was hilarious, and on the inside of the card we wrote Merry "Twistmas". You couldn't see their own legs and you wouldn't believe the people that asked us how they did that(like it was their real legs twisted over their shoulders!)
The year before that we wrapped large boxes in colorful wrap, cut a hole in the top just large enough for the girl's heads and cut out the bottom. They simply "put their boxes on" and we put a large bow on top of their heads, posed them in front of the tree and it was a cute and fun Christmas photo.
Lori in Mississippi
Nativity Scene
Last year we went to our local church and borrowed nativity scene costumes and dressed our family members as Joseph & Mary, three wise men, angels, shepards. We used a doll in a manger, the pictures were done in black and white and were done in a haybarn. We placed a real calf (donkey would be better) and barn cats around us. On the inside we did a quote about the saviour. The feedback was amazing.
Another year we took a normal photo but had billy bob teeth in and did a quote about smiling. A different year, we used green ink and made a handprint tree, using the baby's handprint as the top and the adults as the bottom (the prints have to face outwards and each person does the opposite hand for the sides of the tree except the person on top) we also printed our cat's under the tree, it was really nice.
Good luck, we may try a twisted version of your twisted idea this year (we have to incorporate 19 people!)
By Trudy & Connie (The crazy sisters)
Tu-Tu Good
Last year I dressed my two young daughters in pink tu-tus, white fur on the floor, lots of beads and with black and white film and took their picture. The card says, "Hope your holidays are Tu-Tu good!"
By Nancy Schaaf
Reindeer Games
We have 10 family members from 4 yrs to Grampa. Last year we all wore white t-shirts, dark pants and reindeer antlers. The four grandkids each held a different ball (basketball, football, soccer ball, and volleyball). Our 3 adult children in the back row each had a baseball bat over their shoulder. My husband and I wore ball gloves. The caption said "Care to join us in some reindeer games?"
By Katie
Little Santas
My sister had her two boys (4 years and 2 year) in their bathtub. They had santa hats on their heads and the tub was full of bubble bath. The boys had their faces with beard of bubbles. The pictures turned out beautiful. She sent them as a christmas photo card. She also bought colored soap crayons and had drawn christmas pictures on the shower wall. Like presents, etc. in green and red.
By AmyRogo
My Ideas
We have done a funny family photo for Christmas for at least the last 10 years, some ideas are: A Harley Christmas, A Christmas Story (dressed up as characters from the movie), Christmas Ornaments, A Winter Wonderland, Cruisin' thru Christmas, A Collage. It is a major family tradition to do the family photo. Everyone loves them and friends/family talk about them all year. All time favorites are the Harley Christmas and the Christmas Story. I like your ideas too!
By Kamla Winters
Snowmen
Last year I helped my four children (ages 4,6,8 and 10) make four snowmen very close together in the front yard. Rather than put snowman heads on them, my children's faces were at the top. It looked very cute with bright colored hats and scarves. I took their picture, but it wasn't the one I mailed out. What we did for that one was make one giant snowman and posed around that. Since we had just moved to a new town, our card said, "We've made some new friends, but still miss the old ones!" (Get it? We made the snowman... made a friend.)
By Lisa
My Ideas
One year I put night caps on my kids, lined them up in our big bed and told them to go to sleep. The caption for that photo was "The children were nestled all snug in their bed..."
Another year, they circled around a scrawny evergreen tree out in a field (A Charlie Brown tree) we put one ornament on the tree.
Another year they all dressed like old fashioned Christmas carolers. We took the photo outside with them holding music and candles, singing "Oh" of course.
All these were done in black and white or sepia toned. (12/03/2004)
By Kathy
"The Night Before Christmas"
A few years ago when our son was 7 we did this photo. Our son sat in the middle of our bed with a Santa hat on, holding a fairly large book of "The Night Before Christmas" so you could see what he was reading. He was reading to my husband and I laying on either side of him, but we were "sound asleep." That was easy to do with the tripod.
When he was little we did a black and white photo at a tree farm with him peeking out from behind a tree with his Santa hat on. This would be cute to stack family members behind a tree. For this year I still hope to get a hold of a small Santa costume for our son so we can sit on his lap. Thanks for the fun ideas!
By Shelley
Meowy Christmas
If you like cats, dress everyone up in cat suits and paint their faces. You could have 'Meowy Christmas' across the bottom on a sign.
By Cathy
Our Photo Ideas
Here are some I've done over the years:
1. I stuffed some red pants and put them into some black boots. I stood this up inside the fireplace and dressed my son in red pajamas, had him stand beside the fireplace with his hands on his face like the "Home Alone" kid. This won 2nd place in a local Chirstmas photo contest.
2. My husband wore his Santa suit in the background with my son and our cat in the forefront. My son was eating a cookie and our cat was drinking milk from a mug with a sign reading, "Dear Santa, these cookies & milk are just for you!" This won third place.
3. My son held mistletoe over his head while his twin sisters kissed him on each cheek simultaneously. This won honorable mention.
4. I bought the wooden letters "J" "O" "Y" painted them white and had each child hold one to spell "JOY". I took each child's picture individually so they would show up better and printed them on the computer on to cardstock in black and white. I attached this to red paper then put this on white cardstock and then wrapped red gingham ribbon around the bottom and put "Heavenly Joy" on the front as well. Then I put the bible verse Luke 2:10 on the inside.
Hope some of these might help.
By Debra from Alabama
Beach Snowman
We took our 3 year old to the beach and made a sand snowman with carrot nose and the works. The ocean was behind us. It was very cute.
By karen
"Sorry, Santa, I tried to be good."
Last year my husband dressed up as Santa and "discovered" our 2 year old sprawled out on the floor under the tray of "eaten" cookies and milk cup that was on it's side empty. Made a very cute picture. We put a caption on the bottom that said: "Sorry, Santa, I tried to be good."
By Kristi from Texas
Christmas Tree
We did a Human Pyramid (Christmas tree) with all of us in green and the youngest at the top in yellow.
By Tricia
"Warm Wishes"
Last year we had the kids sitting around the campfire all bundled up. The card said "Warm Wishes". It was beautiful.
By Mersbiz
"We hope you get everything you ask for."
Last year I recieved a beautiful card from a friend it had he husband dressed as the grinch. My friend and her oldest daughter dressed in red outfits with white boas. Her daughter (6 years) was at the top of a ladder holding a list that was long and she was holding a feather pen. You could see the list of gifts on the paper and the card read "we hope you get everything you ask for". It turned out really cute and everyone loved it. I can't wait to see what she does this year.
By Granny
New Year's Idea
We all dressed up in white shirts and I cut out the numbers 2005 in red felt and tacked one number on each of our shirts. Standing as "2005" we all held party horns and threw confetti in the air. It was a great photo to keep up "all year" as it was not a traditional holiday photo!
By Lisa-Illinois
Fall Leaves
I'm really into black and white photos and last year I had my three children, ages 10, 6 and 4 lay down in the leaves with their heads touching each in a different direction - looking straight up into the camera. I only did head shot with leaves around them - it was a great, fun shot! Everyone loved it! The leaves are colorful in the North East this time of year, but something about the black and white made the picture really stand out!
By Dixon
Play On Words
I do this everything year, but since I don't have children it's more of an adult play-on-words thing. We've dressed up with white ghost sheets on and held presents. The caption: "The Ghosts of Christmas Presents"
We've stuck tongues on metal poles (AKA Christmas Story) and used: "We double-dog dare you to have a good Christmas."
I've made fake police mug shots from the North Pole Police Department: "It would be a crime for you to have a bad Christmas."
One year I dressed up in a fancy apron and Santa hat, and held a big spoon over a bowl. "Not a creature was stirring?" (11/17/2005)
By Amy in NC
Little Cooks
I had a really hard time last year with my 6 month old and my 2 year old. Since they wouldn't be still for a picture. I decided to let them do something they liked, eat. We set them up with bowls and spoons and lots of powdered sugar and let them make "cookies". They took the best pictures, he fed spoons full of sugar to his sister and we had a ball. They were both wearing aprons and chef's hats hers with a big red bow. I put out lots of premade cookies and cookie cutters. It really was very easy.
By Kristin-Texas
"Merry Christmas" Cookies
One year my daughter and I made Christmas cookies that spelled out Merry Christmas 2003 and had them set out on the table, while we were dressed in aprons, flour etc. At first you would just think we were baking Christmas cookies, but then you would notice the cookies actually spelled something. Last year I took my daughter's cheerleading photo, and said Bringing you Holiday 'Cheer'. Trying to think of something again this year myself, so thanks for all the help (11/21/2005)
By Laura
"Our chimney has moved."
We used the bathtub and bubble theme one year, with the caption "May all your Christmases be white."
Another time I dressed the two kids up as elves working on the naughty and nice lists. I put them at a table with the sign "Santa's Workshop" behind it. The caption read "Have yoursElves a merry little Christmas" in a playful font.
The year we moved we had the kids (ages 6 and 4) stand in front of the fireplace each holding a sign that they wrote. The little one's said "Atenshen Santa" and the older one's said "Our chimny has moved." (What made this so cute is that I told them what to write, but they did the spelling on their own!) Inside the card I put our new address, so the holiday card was also our change of address notification. Everyone loved it.
The year we got the best feedback, however, was when we had professional portraits taken at the beach. There happened to be one photo of the two kids looking down at a starfish in the dunes. I printed the following Christina Rosetti poem on vellum and put it on top of the photo with a ribbon holding the two things together at the top. The poem: Love came down at Christmas...love all lovely, love divine. Love came down at Chrismas...star and angels gave the sign.
Hope these ideas help!
By Sharon from PA
And may all you Christmases be bright.
You know how someone is always blinking if your photos? One year all five of us blinked on purpose and titled the card: "And may all you Christmases be bright."
By Kel
Got Eggnog
One year we received a card from a family of 5 in a portrait setting and they all had milk mustaches (including the baby!) and the card said "Got Eggnog?" I thought it was really cute.
By Sheree
Merry KissMoose
Last year we dressed our four year old in red with a moose antler headband. We had her hug herself and and make a kissy face. The caption said merry KissMoose. One year we had her peek through the middle of a wreath and once we let her go crazy with a big pile of ribbons and bows.
By Lisa from Missouri
Sledding on the Beach
I too did the kids in the tub and it was awesome! Last year we went to the beach (since we live so close) and put the kids (7 and 4) on the sled in front of a dune as if they were sledding down the hill. My son (7) wore a white t-shirt and tan shorts and my daughter (4) wore a beautiful white sleeveless dress. The pictures turned out awesome and we got lots of wonderful feedback. Now I feel like I have to come up with something better year after year!
By Charlene from FL
"Hope your holidays stack up like ours did."
I got a card from a family with four children last year. It had them all laying on the ground on top of each other and the card read "Hope your holidays stack up like ours did." It was too cute!
By Amie
Giving a Gift
Last year we didn't really have a plan for a photo, and it turned out to be the best. We gave my 2 year old nephew a gift and told him to hold it out as if he were trying to give it to the camera. He of course, wanted nothing to do with that idea, so the photo ended up being a picture of all of us laughing around him (trying to direct him) and him holding a gift somewhat facing the camera (with an extremely innocent and confused face on). There was no caption, hopefully everyone just realized that we were trying to give them a gift. It was extremely natural and in black and white.
By Kate
"I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
I am a retired newspaper photographer and for the past six years have done various Christmas card photos for the neighbors. One year, I used a storm window, sprayed it with fake snow and Ice, and had the two boys hold a candle and look out into the cold with out-of-focus christmas lights in the background.
Another was the mother dressed as Santa going down a backyard barb-a-que fireplace with the kids sleeping with milk in front of a fire. Both photos were merged in photoshop.
Last year we sent out a photo of myself, my wife and 27 year-old daughter with Santa hats, a live camel with Santa hat and a camel driver in front of the Great Pyramid in Egypt.
Another of the neighbor's was "I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", two kids looking suprised as real mommy was kissing Daddy in a Santa suit in front of the tree.
By Lynn from Wisconsin
"Have a cotton pickin' Christmas."
I have a friend who has done my two favorites:
1. Their last name is Byrd. She took a picture of her 4 girls with phones at the ears. Caption... "Four calling Byrds"
2. She took pictures of her girls in a cotton field with caption... "Have a cotton pickin' Christmas."
By Terrie from Georgia
Card Costumes
It sounds like you have done just about everything imaginable. So, how about being your own Christmas Card? Use cardboard for each person, have them decorate the "card", sign it then take the picture. Depending on how many there are in your family, you should come up with several different cards, as we all know, noone likes to get the same card as everyone else!
By Stacey Liddle
Gift Boxes
This year I did a take on the gift wrapped children idea. I wrapped a huge box and box lid and put my two kids (2 and 5) in the box with the lid leaning on the box. They each had a "Christmas-y" outfit on and a santa hat. The caption read, "Oh looky, looky! What do I see? Our favorite blessings under the tree."
By Mom me poo
"Twas the Fright before Christmas"
The year our family of five went to DisneyWorld, I used the photo from the Jurassic Park roller coaster ride, We all looked scared to death plummeting down the hill. I caption it "Twas the Fright before Christmas". Everyone loved it.
By angie
By Candle Light
Last year I took a beautiful picture of my 3 kids. Their ages are 19, 12 and 10 so they didn't want anything too "little kid" like. So I put them in dark clothes and gathered up all the candles I owned, tall and short. I turned the lights out, lined up all the candles on a coffee table with the tall ones on the sides and short ones in front. I then put the kids behind at various heights and told them to lean in toward the light and hold very still. Using a tripod I took the picture without a flash. It was a tight shot - only faces and candles filled the frame. Their faces glowed and the candles served as a sort of frame around them. Numerous friends and relatives commented how beautiful and some even had the picture still on their refrigerator months later!
By Nancy
Brady Bunch
This year I took pictures of all 6 of us individually in front of a white sheet, with no flash. The pictures were closeups, all of us had different expressions and looking in different directions. Then I made a kind of index print on the computer with 3-4 of each of us. It had a brady bunch feel. I liked it in sepia. I interspersed it with Christmas messages in some of the squares. Everyone loved it and it stands out from the usual photo card!
By Susan
"Rub a Dub Dub, Ho Ho From the Tub"
One year we put the kids in the bathtub with Santa hat's on and made bubble beards on their faces. The caption we used was "Rub a Dub Dub, Ho Ho From the Tub"
By Joan
"Merry Christmas" In The Sand
One year, a friend of mine took her family to the beach. They wrote "Merry Christmas" in the sand and the family sat behind it. The photographer took the picture facing them and the words. It was really nice looking. They all wore white shirts and jeans and it was all in black and white, but Christmas colored outfits would be nice, too. It is great for all ages.
By Julie
"Fa La La La La"
I bought a red sweatshirts for my neice and nephews. Walmart sells white felt that is sticky on one side and I cut the words "FA", "LA", "LA", "LA", "LA", "LA" out and stuck them on the sweatshirts. We put "FA" on the oldest (tallest) and "LA" on each of the other kids. The kids sat on bales of hay stacked up so "FA" was at the top and all the "LA's" followed. it was too cute! When the pictures were done, you can peel the letters off and have plain sweatshirts again.
By Robin
Decorating the Tree
One year, I couldn't get my christmas tree lights untangled, so before I bought new ones, I let my 3 year old get tangled up in them in front of the Christmas tree.
By Karla
Happy MistleTOES!
I received a card with a photo of the kids feet on the front of the card (they were laying in bed and showed the bottom of their feet) and on the inside were the kids sitting up with santa hats on their heads. The caption read, Happy MistleTOES!
By Karla
Better Not Pout
Last year we had a 3 year old and a new baby of 2 months. I thought posing them in Santa hats would be really cute but somehow it failed. Madeline the 3 year old was mad that she was having to pose and Max the baby was fed up and hungry as well. So, despite all efforts I ended up putting the picture of her pouting and the picture of him screaming together and titled it better not pout. I've attached it so you can see it.
The year before I caught Madeline sleeping and quickly put on a Santa hat and snapped away! That one was titled Sleep in Heavenly Peace.
By tnugen
"Pizza On Earth"
Have everyone stand circling halfway around an extra large pizza. Write Pizza On Earth on the bottom of the card.
I've had my baby in a decorated gift box in a Santa Suit in front of the fireplace--very cute. I've also had my baby lay on a blue sheet with cottonball clouds. I laid some handmade glittery wings down on this sheet, peeled him down to his diaper, and laid him on top of the "wings" to be a little angel--very cute.
By Sandy from WI
"No More Wading for Christmas"
Last year we did computer work and had me, my husband and 3 kids with our pants rolled up. I found a beach picture I liked and we took our picture. My aunt blacked out the background so it looked like we were standing in the ocean with our pants rolled up. Then we typed on there "NO MORE WADING FOR CHRISTMAS". We also all wore santa hats.
By Leanne from TN
An Easy Photo
Here is the EASIEST Christmas card we've ever done because we could take seperate pictures of EACH child instead of all three kids having to look right in one photo (which is nearly impossible for us).
By Debra from Alabama
"We're on the naughty list, how about you?"
One year for photos, me and my husband were wrapped in tangled lights with my kids standing next to us with the end of the lights. On the inside of the card we put "We're on the naughty list, how about you?" Everybody loved it.
By Anonymous
"We hope your Christmas is as beautiful as our marriage."
Last year our friends, a married couple, simply cross dressed in a formal dress and tux, and stood in front of the Christmas tree. The guy even wore makeup. The inside said "We hope your Christmas is as beautiful as our marriage." It was amazing.
By Ballzy
RE: Christmas Card Photo Ideas
Here's ours from last year. We got a file box and wrapped the bottom and top separately. Added some tissue paper and popped our then 6-month-old daughter inside. The rest was pure LUCK!! The expression on both their faces is priceless. We still giggle every time we see this picture.
By AlpharettaMom
Post Feedback: Click Here
Today's Sponsors
Free Firefox Web Browser
"The award-winning, free Web browser is better than ever. Browse the Web with confidence - Firefox protects you from viruses, spyware and pop-ups. Enjoy improvements to performance, ease of use and privacy. It's easy to import your favorites and settings and get started. Download Firefox now and get the most out of the Web."
You can download Firefox with or without the Google Toolbar, both versions are free.
More Information:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf65884370.tip.html
More Stuff
Vote for the TF News!
Coupon Swap!
Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users:
Seed Swap!
Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users:
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe
Like ThriftyFun on Facebook
