What to Wear for Your Family Christmas Card Photo
The family Christmas card – such a timeless image of family encapsulating the camaraderie that makes up the holiday season. It's your family's annual opportunity to check in with your friends and relatives to say, "Hey, we're doing great!" You may not get to see or catch up with the people on your mailing list often, so the picture on the card bears a lot of weight. The pressure is on! So just how do you create the perfect family portrait for your Christmas card?
Give Yourself a Breather
The good news is, in our increasingly interconnected world, the days of taking the Christmas card photo in July are long gone. You can order your cards from any number of websites and have them on your doorstep in a matter of weeks or even days. Pharmacy photo centers can even print Christmas cards on demand. So, we're not saying you should wait until the last minute to make your move on the cards, but it's not the end of the world if you're getting all of this done in early December.
Visualize Your Christmas Card Photo
Before achieving the “perfect” family portrait, you have to know what that means to you. How do you want the photo to look? Would you prefer an indoor photo with the cozy backdrop of a roaring fireplace and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree? Or do you like the idea of an outdoor family portrait, with colorful outfits beautifully contrasted against the snowy white scenery? Before you start getting into what outfits to wear, know what the photo's backdrop will be.
Dress the Part
One of the best and easiest ways to stage your Christmas card photo is by coordinating your family's wardrobe. After all, what's cuter than a smiling family wearing coordinating outfits? Well, baby harp seals are pretty cute. And pugs wearing hats. But families wearing coordinating outfits is maybe the next cutest thing we can think of. So unless you've got a baby harp seal on hand to plop in the middle of your photo, going with coordinating outfits is your best bet.
Here at Lands' End, we offer a host of plaid shirts that are great for the whole family. Choose one of our whole-house flannel shirts, and get one for everyone. Your family will look terrific in matching shirts, and they're so great we'd bet that everyone will be wearing their flannel all winter. Lands' End flannel shirts are made from long-staple ringspun cotton, making for a higher-quality, more durable shirt. We brush the fabric on both sides, so it's soft and cozy on the outside and inside — where it counts.
If you're looking to get even cozier in your Christmas card picture, try some Christmas matching pajamas. Much like our flannel shirts, our flannel pajamas come in whole-house options that make cozy-comfy PJs for the whole family. If you're not feeling super matchy-matchy, go for a coordinating mix of plaids and solids. You'll be looking cohesive and tight-knit but still maintaining some individuality for everyone.
Not every Christmas family portrait has to be comfy and cozy. You can still create a very festive image with something more elegant and glamorous. If you have the type of family that loves to dress up, there is no better reason to do that than for a holiday photo! Shop for glamorous special occasion dresses for the girls and sharp suits or even tuxedos for the guys. Can you think of anything cuter and more dashing than your toddler in an adorable suit?
Remember Footwear
If your family portrait isn’t showing much from the waist down, you won’t need to concern yourself with footwear. However, if you are getting full-body portraits, the footwear can’t be overlooked! For the more casual yet festive outfits, go for boots. However, if you are indoors and wearing pajamas, opt for fuzzy slippers!
Finally, for a more classic feel, try some sophisticated Christmas sweaters. Lands' End Supima cotton sweaters are made from the best American-grown cotton and crafted with a fine-gauge knit.
Paired with a dress shirt and a nice pair of chinos, the womens cardigan sweater is an easy way to pull a whole outfit together. You can mix and match sweater styles — cardigans, crewnecks, turtlenecks, any necks — for the whole family.
Take a little time this fall to curate a look for your family Christmas card. It doesn't take much, just a little forethought and an idea of how you want it to look — fun, playful, formal, or something in-between. No matter what, you can help show your family's character and personality, and as long as you do that, you're sure to be picture-perfect.