I don’t know about you but I could live in a Christmas 365 world! I have no shame about listening to Christmas music all year round. It’s not uncommon to catch me watching Christmas movies on bad days and I’m always counting down the days until Christmas!

I’ve got Christmas on the brain so I thought I’d share the 3 must-haves for the perfect Christmas family photos with you!

3 Must-Haves for the Perfect Christmas Family Photos

#1: Fun, meaningful props for your perfect Christmas photo!

Props are great but meaningful props are even better! Bring along something truly special to your family. Maybe it’s your first special ornament together as a married couple!

I loved that Katherine and Beaux brought a Christmas Memories Book to their Houston Christmas mini session last year! These seemingly small things are family heirlooms that are a part of their story.

Also, if you have a furbaby, bring them along! Last year, we totally forgot to include Elli, our sweet pup, in our Christmas family photos and we immediately had regrets.

#2: A thoughtful, coordinated outfit

If you are investing in a professional photographer, make sure you spend some time planning out your outfits too. You want to look and feel your absolute best! The more comfortable and confident you feel, the better you’ll look on camera too.

Start by pick out a fun Christmas dress for you or a rich plaid shirt for the hubby. Then color-coordinate the rest of the family from there. Adding a pop of Christmas red in your color scheme is always a win!

Photo Tip: If you are doing photos outside against greenery, avoid wearing green. You want to wear colors that help you stand out against the background, not blend in. 

Textures like velvet and corduroy will really help make your outfits pop. You can’t go wrong with a cozy knit sweater!

Denim, argyle, and plaid are also great for helping to create that perfect Christmas family photo!

Need more ideas on what to wear for your Christmas family photos? Check out our fall outfit inspiration over on the blog or on our Pinterest!

#3: A Cheerful Attitude

This might seem silly but honestly, this is the most important thing that you need to create the perfect family photos!

Trust me! I know family photos can be tough, especially if you have a toddler! Try to relax and let go of all expectations. Your toddler might be running around like crazy, being a total goofball the entire time and it’s okay! Just embrace this season of your life.

Read our tips for surviving family photos with a toddler here! 

Maybe you are stressed because you have insecurities or you haven’t lost the baby weight that you’d like to lose. Unless you’re a professional model, you probably have some nerves in front of the camera. That’s totally normal!

Try to take this time to just love yourself the way your family loves you! If you have kiddos, you know what I mean. They don’t look at you and see anything but their beautiful momma.  You are GORGEOUS just the way you are!

I want to let you in on a little secret, friend.

Do you know what’s better than the perfect Christmas family photo?

YOUR Christmas family photo.

The one where you let go of all your worries and insecurities and just be present with your family.

The one where you document your life just as it is right now.

You will never look back and regret taking these photos!

My hope is that with these three things, you’ll have the perfect Christmas family photos this year! You deserve it, momma!

XO,
Michelle