When we moved back to the DC area in 2002, we capped the year by having a friend take our holiday photo on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building. My husband writes a witty letter each year to accompany the photo, and since that edition was going to focus on our mid-year move, it made sense to us that the photo should shout “we’re back, DC!"
The next year, we had friends visit in November, and since we were wandering around the mall anyway, we had them take a picture of us in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
And a tradition was borne.
Since then we’ve dragged the boyos into the District to photograph them—and when we could sweet talk friends into taking pics for us, all four of us—at a monument or similarly important landmark in or around DC.
We’ve hit the Korean Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the National Arboretum, the Air Force Memorial, among others. Sixteen spots, in fact. Here’s a sampling of them.
And, we haven’t run out of locations yet. Earlier this month we hit our seventeenth. We took the 2018 photos by Boulder Bridge and Rapids Bridge in Rock Creek Park. You would think, with so much experience, I would have it running like a well oiled machine at this point. Alas, not so. We totally forgot a crucial step this year. We neglected to stop at Dunkin' Donuts for Munchkins on the way into town. Lots of yawning outtakes in this year's gallery. Must remember to add that back into the prep for next year…wherever we end up taking that photo!
So that’s our holiday photo tradition.
I love this time of year, when the holiday cards start pouring in. It's awesome how universal holiday photos have become. And it's not just the photographer in me that appreciates them The best part has been watching my friends' families grow throughout the years, just via their annual photo. So many fun approaches. Some dress their children in matching outfits each year. Others always snap a pic on their front porch. And some wouldn't consider it a family photo without their four-footed kids!
How about you? Do you have a fun holiday photo tradition?