Usually by this time of the year, I’ve already sent out all of our holiday cards. But, I’ve been extra busy this month with work and various projects (e.g. Instagram. Twitter. Facebook. Ahem.). Soooooo, my cards — which are sitting here at my desk — will need to wait a few days longer before I get them addressed and mailed out.
If there are some of you who have yet to order your cards, I would like to share this tip. Order more than you need. Not only will they come in handy when you rush to mail out last-minute cards to people you’ve forgetten about (oops!), but they’ll be really fun to send out in the upcoming years.
One day, when our children are no longer small and adorable, they may not want to pose for cute holiday card photos. In fact, they may look downright surly. And let’s face it — when kids are surly at 3, 4 or 5 — they’re still pretty darned sweet looking. At 16 or 17, not so much.
I didn’t pre-plan this idea. It sort of happened five years ago when I realized I had ordered about 30 cards too many. I didn’t want to throw them out, so I stashed them away. The following year, I did the same thing. Clearly, I hadn’t done the math that year, either. You get the picture. After a few years of this over ordering, that’s when I came up with this brilliant plan. Genius, right? 😉
One day, when my son is in high school or college, those of you on my holiday card list may be receiving a card of him sitting on Santa’s lap for the first time, or a photo montage card that shows a tiny 2-year-old Kyle playing in snow that comes up to his waist. I think the recipients will get a kick out of that, too. Don’t you? Just pretend to act surprised when you receive it 15 years from now, OK?
For those wondering, I made all my holiday cards on Shutterfly. And, no, they didn’t pay me to say this. And, yes, I paid for all my cards and am a loyal customer.
Anyhow, with that tip sorted out, let me offer another one. I’ve been a fan of Hallmark’s Pics ‘n’ Props series ever since I saw a friend use one of their kits for the first day of school photos. I got one and used it for Kyle’s first day of kindergarten, too.
For some mommas and poppas who can look at something on Pinterest and duplicate it with ease, these props aren’t a big deal. But for folks like me, they’re a super easy way to add a little fun to holiday pictures with a minimal amount of stress.
Like this:
By the way, I don’t know who these two people ↑ are. I asked Hallmark for a press photo to use with this blog post, and they graciously provided this.
Anyhow, shhhhhh! Don’t tell anyone, but I’m bringing a couple of these kits to my son’s winter holiday party at school. I think the children will have fun pretending to be Rudolph, the Abominable Snowman and a … uh … lumberjack?
That’s right. You get fun things like this when I’m one of the room parents at school. Represent! 😉
For my final giveaway of 2014, you can win one of these holiday kits. I will mail the box to you by two-day mail so that you receive it before Christmas if you reside in the United States. (If you live outside of the U.S., you most likely won’t get this by Christmas, ’cause, frankly, it’s too expensive for me to shell out for expedited shipping overseas. So, sorry about that.)
To enter, just do any and/or all of the following:
1) Leave a comment below. Be sure to use an active email address where I can reach you if you win! (Your email addresss will only be visible to me.)
2) Follow me on one or all of my social media accounts. (Just click on the shiny buttons at the top ↑ of my page. You know you want to…)
3) Enter via Rafflecopter below: (The giveaway is open NOW, but the Rafflecopter thing won’t activate until midnight Dec. 12. Stupid technology!)
4) Everything thing that you do will earn you more entries for this contest.
Finally…
Thank you for supporting my work and for all the lovely exchanges we’ve had via this website and my social media accounts. I wish you all a very happy holiday season and a wonderful 2015!
Good luck! Check back right here on Dec. 20th to see if you’ve won.
© 2014 JAE-HA KIM | All Rights Reserved
Adorable post! I would love to win these props for my daughter’s first Christmas! Thanks for offering this! 🙂
ps I’ve followed you on Facebook and Twitter for the past few years. Lov e your work!
I’ll be honest. I love entering contests. I never win though. Yes, I’m playing on the pity vote!
OMG! That card idea is genius! Your son is super cute! And, pick me! 🙂
PICK ME! PICK ME! I’m not a fair weather follower. I’ve been following your pieces since your Chicago Sun-Times days! I called into Brandmeier’s show when you were on and talked to you. Remember MEEEEEEE? Hahahahaha! I don’t expect you to. But I do think you should give the prize to an loyal fan and not someone who just liked your page to get a freebie. That’s just me. Stil…. PICK MEEEEE! 🙂
Love you, love your work, love your blogging even more. All your celebrity columns are fantastic. I’m envious of your travels. But it’s really your blog posts that draw me back. Hearing about your childhood and some of the prejudice you faced growing up (and even now!) makes me tip my hat to you, Ms. Kim.
My children would have a great time pretending to be Rudolph! They actually have no concept of that reindeer, but I remember waiting every year to watch the Christmas specials on TV. They don’t make them like they used to.
I want to win ’cause I’m a winner. #winning And no, I’m not Charlie Sheen. Hee hee
If I won this, I would donate it to our church for the annual Christmas Party. I think the kids would really enjoy this. Peace.
OK, I’ll be the one dude that enters. I’m entering because I was reading this post and my daughter saw the pictures and said, “Daddy, I want that!” Can you help a brother out?
Love your work. Merry Christmas!
What a fun idea! I hope they’re a hit with your son’s class. I hope I win because my children could play with it for a while and hopefully give me a few minutes of peace. HAHA.
First time contest entrant ever. Why am I entering? I think I have a great shot at winning and I’m a winner! Actually I want to win this for our Sunday School kids. I think it’d be a good idea to set up a little photo booth area and take photos for the children to take home to their families. Merry Christmas!
Would love to give this to my kids!
To be honest, if I won this I would use it to embarrass all my friends when they get drunk and pass out at my NYE party this year by taking photos of them with ridiculous masks on. Then I would turn that into my holiday card for next year. Do I get points for creative thinking? 😉 And yes, all my friends are over the age of 21! LOL!
!!! I want you to win so that I can see these photos! Thanks for entering, Emily! 😛
Dammmit! I saw that Emily T. won and I thought it was me! LOL! At least it went to another Emily. 😉
Actually, quite a few Emilies entered this contest!
If I win, my kids will love me even more. 🙂
I love the squirrely away of the Christmas cards idea!
I meant squirreling away, not squirrely away!!
Kyle! 😉
Super cute! Just followed you on Instagram. Didn’t know you were there. Thanks for the heads up.
Hi Jae-Ha – I love your work and I was going to enter just to “win something” – but now I feel guilty since I see so many worthy responses. Also, I probably wouldn’t know how to use it, so don’t pick me – I’m not worthy!
Ha ha! Reverse psychology, huh? 🙂
Entered!What fun. Thanks for hosting this!!!
What a great idea! Thank you so much for hosting this contest. I think it’s adorable and will share this on my FB as well!
Entering! Thanks for the opportunity to win this amazing package. I tried to order it online but couldn’t find it, so I’m glad I can try to win it here. Thanks again! Merry Christmas!
This is adorable. Your son is so cute, too! I wish I had done this card idea when my children were younger. Wishing you a happy holiday season, Ms. Kim.
The photo cards you made of your son are so cute! OOOhh! Love it! I entered the contest. I think the props will be really fun for holiday pictures. Thankyou!!!
I won! Thank you!! HEE HEE
Congrats! It’s on its way to you. You should receive it by Monday, the 22nd. I hope you have fun with it. 😉
I just got it! Thank you so much! It’s adorable and it’s going to look so cute for the kids when we do photos on Christmas. We may use them as props next year for Christmas cars, too! Thankyou again for this fun contest! 🙂
😉