It’s the holiday season! I’m sure your to-do list is long. There are places to go, people to see, presents to buy, and food to eat.

While ’tis the season for creating memories, it’s so hectic, it seems we blink, and the next thing we know, the season of cheer is over. 

I know sometimes it can be hard to remember to take photos in all the chaos, and maybe you’re aren’t even sure what to photograph. So I’ve decided to make it easier for you, and put together a list of the photos you must take this holiday season!

Choosing a Christmas Tree

I’ll be the first to admit – we use a fake tree over here! However, there is something magical about tree farms, especially for those who have that tradition of going to one to pick their tree! Tree farms are perfect spots for photo opportunities, with their rows and rows of trees, and that perfect shade of green!

Decorating the Tree

Regardless of whether you use a real tree, or a fake tree, decorating photos are a must! A few quick photos of your children hanging some of your favorite ornaments are sure to be wonderful memories through the years.

Standing by the Tree

Once your tree is fully decorated, taking a few photos in front of it is a must! Show off that finished product!

Meeting Santa

Some kids love him, some hate him. You’ll never know until you take the kids to meet him, and their reaction may be different from year to year. Don’t forget to capture those expressions!

Christmas PJs

Every year, the children in our family get a new set of Christmas pajamas. They love wearing them on Christmas Eve, and opening their presents in them on Christmas morning. It’s such a fun tradition! Also, kids are super adorable in them, so it’s a great photo to take!

Opening Presents

On Christmas morning, during the present opening, I think it is important to be present with your children, and not stuck behind the camera the entire time. However, I always try to get one or two photos, before I put the camera aside to be part of the moment. I failed to do this last year, but will do better this year. I regret that I don’t have those photos! Learn from my mistake!

Baking Cookies

Do you enjoy baking cookies together every holiday season? If so, this is another photo you’ll want to take. It’ll be a fun one for your kids to look back on in the future!

Playing in the Snow

This one, of course, depends on whether we get snow. Here in the Midwest, it may or may not happen! In the event of snow days home with your kids, be sure to take a few minutes to capture some fun before you join the family!

As one final word of advice…make sure you print your photos! You can do this, even if you are only using your cell phone to capture the memories. You can create little mini books on the Shutterfly app, or other similar sites. I’ll admit, they aren’t as nice as my pro lab albums. However, it’s way better than the photos living on the cloud indefinitely. My kids get so much joy of flipping through our little books each year, seeing how much they’ve changed, and remembering favorite moments from prior months and years.

If you have any questions or need more ideas, don’t hesitate to reach out! And don’t forget, you can always hire a professional photographer to capture some of your special holiday traditions. I’m always happy to help with this! Just email me at heather@heathermohrphotography.com.

Well, it’s time for this St. Louis newborn photographer to do a little catchup! You may have noticed I haven’t blogged any sessions in a long time. Well, there is a very good reason for that! I am in the middle of having a brand new website designed, and it’s going to be beautiful! It’s a slow process, because there is so much material to transfer from this one to that one. And so, it’s better to take our time and get it right. However, things really should be wrapping up soon. In the meantime, here is a tiny glimpse into how I’ve been spending my time.