What Christmas Means To Me As A Family Photographer
It’s Christmas Eve and I’m hosting my family for a cosy evening prelude to the big day. In between the last minute wrapping and cooking, I’m pondering the significance of tomorrow.
This year so many families have hired me to capture this chapter in their story and lock them safely in a collection of joyful photographs for them to keep. As a people photographer, I’m grateful to be regularly reminded of the importance of family.
My own kinfolk are incredibly precious to me and Christmas has always been a special day in our calendar. It’s a time to pause and soak up each other’s company without the pressures of work or outside influence. Traditionally we hunker down and just be together; overeating, chatting, drinking, playing games and getting out for a walk with the spaniels.
Ours probably looks very similar to many Christmases up and down the British Isles. But I thought I’d indulge my own love for December 25th with a few thoughts on what Christmas means to me…
Getting a roll of film back always feels like Christmas morning
That butterflies-in-your-tummy excitement of Christmas morning is a feeling shared by all who celebrate. Now I’m a Mum, my own excitement at waking up on Christmas Day has been replaced with the joy of seeing my girls embrace the magic and launch themselves out of bed to see if Father Christmas has been!
As a film photographer, I’m lucky to get that Christmas morning feeling every time I receive a series of film scans. The anticipation when I see a “Special Delivery!” email from my clever lab fairies in California to say my photographs have been scanned and are ready for download never gets old and is one of the many reasons why I choose to shoot film in 2024.
Watching It's A Wonderful Life
This movie is the ultimate Christmas classic and nothing makes me feel more festive than curling up under a blanket with a dram of Baileys and twinkling Christmas Tree lights in the corner of my eye to watch It’s A Wonderful Life.
Perhaps it’s my affinity with that generation from my time with D-Day Revisited or maybe just that I have an old soul, but I never tire of this old black & white movie.
I know Christmas can be a hard time for so many people and the story starts there. Following the protagonist’s journey it paints a picture of an ambitious young man with big dreams, who never quite gets his break… so many of us can relate to this. In the end it’s a tale of hope, family and community which truly celebrates the spirit of Christmas.
If you haven’t watched it, make this the year you do! And if you love it as much as me, have a read of this article. I was interested to learn that the success of It’s A Wonderful Life only came decades after it was released, as it’s such a cult classic these days.
A festive walk in Cheshire
My family are dedicated dog-owners. That means that whatever the weather on Christmas Day, a walk in the fresh air to get the dogs some exercise is always on the cards.
And I have to say I love it. After all the overindulgence, a dog walk in the cold as the light begins to fade is the perfect tonic. There is something special about a Christmas Day walk… you often feel you have the whole world to yourselves as everyone else is hibernating at home. Then once in a while you’ll bump into another human or two and whereas on every other day of the year you might smile as you walk past each other, on this day you stop to wish them a “Merry Christmas”.
Pausing to take photos of my own children
When photography is your job, you have to be mindful about capturing your own precious family portraits too and Christmas is the perfect excuse.
There are a few key times I always take a moment to capture on Christmas Day: my girls in front of the tree before they’ve unwrapped anything; a photo of the whole family when they’re about to tuck into Christmas lunch; and a few candid shots of the girls with their grandparents and extended family.
I love having this annual memory to look back on and see how much the girls have changed each year and I’m know these photographs will become more precious to me as time goes by.
But also putting my phone away and being present
Will all that said, I’m conscious of the digital age my children are growing up in and I don’t want their Christmas memories to be of Mum on her iPhone.
In an ideal world I want the girls to have my full attention without distraction and I do believe that photography is all about quality not quantity. So aside from a few traditional family photos on film and some candid pictures of them opening their presents, I do try to leave my phone out of sight and out of mind on Christmas Day.
This dance between “being present” and documenting the moment is one which I’m sure many parents will be familiar with and there’s no right or wrong… we do the best we can!
Gifting photographs to grandparents
I find my parents and in-laws particularly tricky to buy for. The baby-boomers don’t want for much in my experience and what they do want they’ll generally buy for themselves. Thankfully since my girls came along, a framed portrait or album of photos of their grandkids always goes down a treat!
And knowing that family photographs I’ve taken will be being unwrapped in other households around the country is such a wonderful feeling. The idea of gifting a family memory is everything to me as a portrait photographer.
Hearing what the King has to say
Isn’t there just something terribly British about a whole nation sitting down on Christmas Day to hear the Monarch’s address?
Since 1932 the reigning King or Queen has taken the opportunity to publicly reflect on all that has happened in the past year. I think that in itself it is a lovely tradition; to pause and think back on the past 12 months through the eyes of someone in such a unique role.
I appreciate it may not be for everyone, but I am interested to hear what HM King Charles III has to say. I also enjoy all the behind the scenes footage of Christmas at Sandringham and the family’s morning visit to Church, with each generation looking smart in their best winter clothes. For me, the Royals demonstrate the best of our historic Christmas rituals and in so doing keep them alive and well.
Time with my Mum in the kitchen
And speaking of family, a part of Christmas Day I cherish is the time it gives me and my Mum. As an adult I realise more and more that the magic of Christmas was actually the magic of my marvellous Mum. If I can create Christmases half as happy for my children as she did for us then I’ll be content.
I’d like to say that Christmas dinner is a team effort, but it’s not. I’m very much the sous-chef! The experienced head chef puts a hell of a lot of pressure on herself to get everything spot on. If I can support her in any way I am more than happy to help, because it gives me time with my Mum in the kitchen; chatting and peeling with a glass of mulled wine each to hand.
My little brother home for Christmas
My (not so little) brother has lived down in London for some years now and comes up to visit a handful of times throughout the year. But 25th December is the one day of the year that he holds sacred for family. He just absolutely loves Christmas and always has!
No matter where he is in the world, he’ll be amongst the first to have a Christmas Tree up and always enjoys showing his nieces the bright lights of London during advent.
Now we’re all grown up with busy lives of our own, having this time back with my brother in our family home is really precious to me. It’s gorgeous seeing my girls making their own Christmas memories with their Uncle too!
A bit of time for me...
Life is relentlessly busy for us all. Between juggling work and parenting, making time for myself often gets put to the bottom of my to-do list.
But with my ‘Out of Office’ on between Christmas and New Year and plenty of extra adults to help out with the girls, I try to factor in a few moments to myself. Whether it’s taking the time to get ready in peace in the morning without a toddler on my knee, or treating myself to a bubble bath once the girls are in bed, a little TLC at this time of year is just what the doctor ordered after the mad run up to Christmas.
Whatever this time of year looks like for you, I wish you a very Happy Christmas!
I hope these next few days are jam-packed with small moments of merriment. And, if you have children, that you’re able to capture some of these in photographs for them to look back on with happy affection in years to come.
