Resolutions and Plans

Now that the holidays have passed the cleanup can begin. In our household we are busy digging up boxes from the basement to store away Christmas decorations for another year and fortifying anything packed away in boxes so that mice aren’t able to surprise us with their nests next December.

Overall I would have to say we had a very successful season. Our son started eating rice pudding on December 24 which made for a hilarious home movie. We were able to see my parents and the in-laws all in the same day which is a rare treat for us. These are frugal times but we managed to keep the tree surrounded by presents for all of the children – I don’t think any of them went home disappointed.

Even though most people are back to work, today (January 2) is the last real gasp of “holidays”. Soon we will get back to our regularly-scheduled shuffling about and trying to pick out a living for ourselves. Now is a perfect time to reflect on the year that just passed and the excitement the next twelve months will bring.

We aren’t “resolution” people. January 1^st doesn’t involve a list of sins we wish to cut from our lives. But I do have goals as a parent; basically, these are the journeys I wish to continue moving forward.

My Dad list:

• Take care of my health so I can take care of my family
• Learn a new skill that I can one day pass on to my son
• Take care of our finances so I can both provide for and spend more time with my family
• Take photos for cherishing, but avoid the living behind a camera lens trap
• Above all, put my family before all else

Getting in the Mood… for Christmas

Every year we find ourselves in the same checkouts at the same stores listening to the same generic Christmas caroles while surrounded by the same disgruntled customers. Of course it will all be worth it on the big day when we finally get to exchange gifts and enjoy that much-deserved family time; but there must be a better way of getting there from here. Today I’m going to talk about some of the ways families can bring some down-to-earth joy to the holidays.

1. Be Happy
Studies show that when you are jovial, you have a 9% chance of spreading your good will to other people. Likewise, if you are angry or upset, the stress hormones have a 7% change of making those around you experience similar feelings. The moral of the story is that happiness is contagious – so make the effort to be extra nice and other people will ‘catch the bug’ and return the joy.

2. Make a Present
A close friend has an interesting Christmas tradition: every member of their family makes one present for everyone in addition to any shopping they do. The result: more personal gifts, less packaging waste on Christmas day, and less money spent.

3. Stay Home Once Per Week
In the lead-up to Christmas it is easy to find ourselves at the store almost every day picking up last-minute supplies. Instead of going to the nearest Wal-Mart, try to stay home at least one night every week. This will force the mind to relax and will actually focus your thoughts so your next trip is more productive.

4. Stay Safe
Along with the holidays come safety hazards that are not present at other times of the year. Always make sure candles are blown out and the proper lights are in use (do not put outside lights indoors). Make sure the Christmas tree is away from electrical outlets, radiators and high-traffic areas. Of all the times for tragedy to strike, this time of year always just sounds worse the normal.

5. Spread the Joy
If someone in your life has been giving you great service, now is a great time to show your appreciation with a small gift. MSN Money has an excelent article about who, and how much, to tip during the holidays. The key point here is – do not feel obligated to give or spend your money on anyone. However, if you do feel so inclined, your thoughtfulness will not go unnoticed – people remember when they are treated kindly, and you may find yourself on the receiving end of more good will (see tip #1).

Closeness for Christmas

The holidays are a time to relax with cherished friends and loved ones.  This is the time for songs and cheer and reflection of the year past and the year to come.  This is the time to share gifts, food and stories.

The holidays are also a time many people find stressful, largely due to loved ones. Rushing around to shopping malls, planning dinners, figuring out whose parents you will visit on Christmas eve and who you will spend Christmas with. For young couples with new babies this is a time of change; change is always stressful and sometimes scary.

Let’s all take the time to make this Christmas special. It really is a magical time of year – even though we spend time together throughout the year, rarely do we make such a point of it as we do in December. Songs about joy and peace ring off the tongue so freely when lips are tight at other times.

Tomorrow I will follow up with a list ideas that will help get any family into the Christmas spirit.

Get Your Children Excited for Santa

Christmas is just around the corner!  The job may already be done for you, but there are a lot of things parents can do to help get their children in the Christmas spirit and excited for Santa’s visit.

Put Up the Christmas Tree
Many families put up their Christmas trees very early in December.  This is a great opportunity to bond with children and involve them in the holiday process.  Foster creativity by letting them put ornaments in unconventional places; an unused vase filled with shiny Christmas balls makes an eye-catching centrepiece for the table.

Start an Advent Calendar
Those chocolate advent calender, like so many other other aspects of the season, takes a christian tradition (in this case the days of advent) and mass-commercializes it down to a waxy chocolate treat.  Arguments aside, opening a new chocolate decoration every day in the lead-up to Christmas helps to build anticipation and teach young children about the passage of time.

Presents are Surprises
In my family, whenever we give gifts to other people we keep them a surprise until the time they are opened. This was always one of the most fun aspects of the holidays, to me.  When you’ve picked a present that you know the other person is really going to love, it’s almost as unbearable to not give it to them early as it is for them wondering what you might have thought of.

Some families don’t do the surprise presents – sometimes a gift giver is with the recipient when they make or buy their present!  That is a great way to bond, too.  There is no wrong way to celebrate the holidays, and no wrong way to bond with our loved ones.  The priceless look on a child’s (or adult’s!) face when they open a gift they love but weren’t expecting can really make the surprise worthwhile.

Sing Songs
Even if you aren’t the greatest vocalist in the world, encourage song in your household.  Children connect to music on many levels, and familiar Christmas songs build excitement for the big day as well as general good feelings. This works all year round, too!

Enjoy Each Other’s Company
This time of year is great for spending time with loved ones.  There are more statutory holidays and often workplace-provided days off.  Rather than using the free time to catch up on housework or shop for more presents, use it to spend time with the kids.  It’s so easy to get lost in the moment that we don’t always take the time we should with the people who give us the drive to keep doing all that we do.  Drop everything and play with the baby.  There is nothing so important that it can’t wait.

The Family Holiday Photograph

As the year-end festivities start to kick into gear my wife and I find ourselves pondering the changes of the last twelve months, the growth of our loved ones, and the new year to come. Part of our tradition is the holiday photograph – that yearly snapshot of our ever-expanding immediate family. In our household photographs and videos are as much a part of the holidays as are turkeys and treats. I have scoured the net to bring together a list of tips for getting the most out of holiday photos.

Have a Good Camera
Obviously the average household is not going to have a professional camera setup on hand. However, there are huge variances between the quality of photographs produced by different camera models, even among similar price points. In the case of digital cameras, a 12 mega pixel camera does not guarantee a better photograph than a 6 mega pixel camera.

In our case we felt it was worth the extra money to get a decent digital SLR. After much research we chose the Nikon D40 and have been very pleased with the results. With an SLR, the photo you see in the viewfinder is exactly the final photo that will appear. The D40 is a little pricier than the more common fixed-lens digital cameras, but considering its construction and the fact you can swap lenses as your skills improved, this camera will be in the family for a long time. The auto-focus is quite solid – we have had this camera for a year now and have yet to take a bad picture.

Soft Light
The sun provides its softest (best) light early in the morning and in the evening. Your family will look their best if you are able to shoot during these times. If not, try to arrange for shade to prevent the harsh light of the sun from glaring off skin in the final photo. Of course if you are in the harsher northern climate this time of year, you may not be taking too many photos outside to begin with!

Talk to Each Other
Don’t have people say “Cheese” or count down – you’ll end up with photos of kids sticking out their tongues at the camera. Instead, keep everyone talking about upcoming activities, new toys, anything of interest. This will lighten the mood and give you a more relaxed photo as your family won’t be thinking of it as posing – they will be less intimidated by the camera and will look more natural.

Heads Together
Arrange it so your loved ones heads are close together. This will cause the final photo to appear warmer, your subjects will look happier. This is an easily overlooked yet simple way to get great family photographs on any occasion.

Clear Up the Background Clutter
Any object in the background will come out in the photo. We are used to perceiving the world around us in three dimensions, but photography is a two-dimensional art. If you don’t want your subject to look like they have a tree growing out of their head, make sure to place them in front of a neutral or solid background.

Wear Bright Colours
This is supposed to be a happy time! Have everyone wear bright, lively colours when taking photographs. This will add a great deal of visual interest to your picture and will make the subjects look more energetic and happy.

Take Lots of Shots
The great hockey player Wayne Gretzky said “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take“. This sentiment applies to photography as well. When you are at your family gathering, take as many photos as you can – don’t always wait for people to pose. The result will be candid, relaxed shots that more accurately portray the character of your family; these are the photos you will most cherish.

Many digital cameras have a “cool-off” period between photos while they save your picture to their internal memory or card. During this time, you cannot take another photo. My advice is to look for a camera that has a large cache memory. A child may only smile for a split second – if you are able to rapid-fire press the shutter button you will be able to capture that smile.

Have Fun
Many people are intimidated by cameras – they may feel they don’t look good in pictures or they may just not want to have their picture taken. Respect your family’s wishes in this regard, but do try have fun with it and encourage everyone to get involved and take part in the photography. The holidays don’t last forever and the time have together won’t come again. Enjoy the gathering and take photographs that can be shared and cherished for years to come.