Young House Love

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Christmas Card Ideas You Can Photograph Yourself

Every year we like to drop in before everyone abandons their keyboards for Christmas (or have you already?) to share our Christmas card along with some gushy words of appreciation. So thar she blows:

Christmas Card 2013

We had a few other ideas planned for our card this year (Clara gift-wrapping Burger, Clara riding her bike with a tiny Christmas tree on the back as Burger ran next to her, etc) but a combination of book deadlines, hospital decorating, showhouse meetings, and bad weather tied us up. Thank goodness for this shot that we miraculously got on the day that we told Clara she was going to have a little brother (I’ve filed it under “Christmas miracles”).

And because we like an outtake or two, we’d be remiss not to pause to appreciate this one of Burger cowering in blurry fear while Clara manhandles Captain Barnacle.

Blurry Manhandle

Or this one full of Burger enthusiasm but zero discernible excitement from Clara.

Bored Clara

We did get this one of Clara kissing her doll, but Burger is nowhere to be seen, and it’s a little reminiscent of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Kissing Baby

Oh how thankful we are for one good shot.

Card In Stack

We also took this one in front of a Love sign that we thought could have worked for the card, but we were kind of far away, and you can hardly see Clara clutching Captain Barnacle (she never leaves home without him).

Love Pic

We got them printed from TinyPrints and used a coupon code that we found right on their site to save 20% and score free shipping. Addressing all those envelopes with only about a week to spare was a little nerve-wracking, but we got it done. And it was pretty exciting to reference a little one on the way, since we haven’t done that since our very first Christmas card, way back in 2009.

Adressed Cards

Speaking of past years, here’s a quick recap of all of our family cards dating back to that one. First we have last year’s card:

Xmas Card Final

And here’s the one from 2011:

2011 Petersik Holiday Card

The one from 2010:

Xmas Card Final

And our very first one from 2009:

Christmas Card

Also in big arrivals news, we have a bunch of family members coming to town today, so we’re off to hopefully plow through a few more to-dos before they get here (you know, baking cookies, priming cabinets, the usual) but we wanted to be sure we shared our holiday card with you guys along with our warmest wishes to you and yours. We sincerely appreciate you for dropping in on us, and we hope you all have an awesome holiday season full of cookies, baby dolls, and whatever else brings you joy.

And although we figure many of you will be busy with miscellaneous chaos over the upcoming week between Christmas and New Year’s, we’ll still be dropping in occasionally, and we hope to have a big ol’ painted cabinet reveal in early 2014. You know, to kick the year off with a bang. Or should I say, with a brush?

Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are under $15! 

Comments

  3. Vanessa says

    Another great Christmas card! Enjoy the holidays and cannot wait to see all that you guys have in store for us for 2014.

    Reply

  4. Evelina says

    Merry Christmas, Petersiks!! Your card is lovely! I hope your holidays are filled with lots of family, laughs, yummy food and happy tummy flutters :)

    Reply

  5. Anele @ Success Along the Weighn says

    EXCELLENT pic for the card this year!! (Surprise, right? Given how awesome all the others have been)

    I loved looking back at the previous ones too. I can hardly wait for next year’s when Captain Barnacles is a real boy with hopefully a less eccentric moniker! ;-)

    Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  6. Stephanie acker says

    Merry Christmas you beautiful, wonderful people! First Christmas of many in your dream home!

    P.s.: Excited for cabinet priming! Yay!

    Reply

  7. Mandi says

    Love the Christmas card! I believe my nephew has the same doll in representation of his soon to be baby brother! His is named Gary the Wobbly. Is yours also anatomically correct as well?? Nice find! Merry Christmas you guys!

    Reply

  12. Karen L. says

    Merry Christmas to you all, too! I’m busy today making our tradtional Sticky Buns for tomorrow morning. :) Then, later tomorrow afternoon, our son, d-i-l, and their six kiddoes will be coming for opening gifts and dinner with us–yay! It’ll be merry and bright and crazy-fun around here this year! I so appreciate y’all—happy new year, too, from quaint and beautiful Williamsburg, VA.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Ahh! We’re working on book 2! We mentioned that during our blogiversary, but it won’t be out for a while (books take forever – maybe late 2015 or early 2016). We’re just in the outline/early manuscript/shot list stages, but it’s exciting!

      xo
      s

  14. Stevie says

    Merry Christmas to the loveliest family I don’t actually know! Your card is just perfect and I loved being able to look back at all of the older ones all in one post. Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      We mentioned that we’ve started on book 2 (ahhh!) during our blogiversary, but it won’t be out for a while (books take forever – maybe late 2015 or early 2016). We’re just in the outline/early manuscript/shot list stages, but it’s exciting!

      xo
      s

  16. Mary Kaye says

    Merry Christmas to you and yours! Thanks for the wonderful update and I am looking forward to your kitchen reveal as I am planning on changing up my kitchen in the new year too!

    Reply

  18. LaineyR says

    What a gorgeous card. Happy Christmas Sherry, John, Clara, Burger and all the other YHL readers! I hope everyone has a super time x

    Reply

  20. Christine G says

    Merry Christmas and Happy New year, Petersik Family! ^_^ We just got our cards delivered last night and they are going out this afternoon, definitely a holiday miracle!

    Reply

  22. Lynette says

    Merry Christmas!

    Love your Christmas card. I love looking back at your other cards too.

    Have a wonderful New Year too – yay 2014!!!!

    Reply

  25. Elise says

    There’s a family I used to babysit for who before they left the hospital said to their older son, “this is your baby, and therefore your responsibility to love and protect.” I’ve never seen a more loving sibling relationship (the older one used to follow the little one around and say “he’s MY baby”). You can already tell by how much she loves that doll that Clara will be an amazing big sister. Happy holidays!

    Reply

  26. Jess says

    I always enjoy your Christmas cards :) Thanks for giving us a peak! Also, I hope you appreciate this:

    I had a dream last night about you guys – I think I was trying to forsee the “what we made for Clara this year for Christmas” future. I had a dream that it was a tiny crib for Captain Barnacle … and it was basically a transformer & it could turn into a small playhouse, too!

    So it turns out even my subconscious is excited to see what it is!! :)

    Merry Christmas to all 5 of you!

    Reply

  28. Sarah C says

    Great shot/card! (And, I kinda love that the notorious blue trim got immortalized in a Petersik Christmas card.) ;) Happy Holidays, Youngsters!

    Reply

  30. Jennifer I says

    Happy Holidays! I got book 1 for an early xmas gift, and I am really glad that I did. I love my daily visit to Young House Love. Thank you for all that you do.

    Reply

  31. Moriah Ortega says

    Merry Christmas to you too!! Looking forward to your kitchen reveal. :)

    ~ Moriah

    “And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger.”
    Luke 2:16

    Reply

  37. Joseph says

    Merry Christmas to you guys too!

    Where is that LOVE sign? Is that downtown somewhere? I’ve seen a few around but none quite as “fabulous” as that one.

    Reply

  38. heyruthie says

    I’ve been with you on a daily basis for all these cards, and every year, I enjoy the cards and your family. You’ve been making my days a little sparklier for more than 5 years (is sparklier a word?) Happy Everything, Petersiks!

    Reply

  41. Beth says

    Merry Christmas Petersik family! I love multipurpose holiday cards! Ours this year is a happy holidays, new address and baby announcement in one!

    Reply

  42. Jenn says

    Too cute! Happy Christmas guys, I hope you have a wonderful time and all the best in the new year! Thanks for posting everyday and giving me something to look forward to in the mornings (*lol* really not a morning person so YHL is very much appreciated)!! Cheers!

    Reply

  44. Diane Taylor says

    Ahhh – the perks of working on Christmas Eve = getting to read my favorite blogs (noone is working today but we are doing a dang good job of pretending). I wish you both a peaceful holiday full of love, family, friends, good food, and no drips on your painted cabinets :) Thanks for making us smile, laugh and cry all at teh same time!

    With love,
    The Taylors in Baltimore MD

    Reply

  46. Kim Wethe Rily says

    Merry Christmas to the whole family and the previous Burke-ians. Burkers? Burkites?

    Hi to Tom and Kathy and all the fam.
    Hope you have a ball with all the kids.
    Take it easy, Sherry. I’ve been pregnant on two Christmases. Be sure to take a nap!

    Reply

  49. Wendy @ New Moms Talk says

    Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    & for a last-minute-Christmas-Eve project, I just painted a patch on the garage wall with chalkboard paint for our little girl. We’ll make or find a chalk holder to attach to the wall.

    Now when we are working out in the garage (it’s perfect for trainer rides, core work, etc.), she can draw and doodle away.

    Would it be awful to make a bow out of painter’s tape to put it as a present for her?

    Reply

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