The holiday season is all about traditions. For some people, it’s baking cookies made from your grandmother’s family recipe. For others, it’s watching classics like White Christmas and Miracle on 34th street, snuggled under a flannel blanket with a steaming cup of cocoa. And for some, it’s spending an exorbitant amount of time cutting down a Christmas tree that will never, not even in a million years, ever be appropriate for your 700 sq. foot apartment. Oh wait, is that just me?

In my family, we have our own Christmas tradition that has taken place every year for over twenty five years. The Scalera’s don’t claim to be good at many things (unless you count being awesome at trivia games and making school projects mere hours before they are due), but there is one thing that every year, pulls us all together for a common cause.

The. Family. Christmas. Card.

Did you think I was going to say something charitable? Pssssh! Forget the poor and the downtrodden, there are almost a hundred families out there waiting for our Christmas card! Priorities, people! But seriously, Christmas cards are a big effing deal at my house. It started the year my parents got engaged, with a lovely sit down photo featuring a them and their cats. I know, nothing crazy, right? Except we have continued that tradition every year, making this year twenty nine I believe.

Back in the day, the card was just a nice photo that was a picture of me, then my sister and I and occasionally my parents would make an appearance. But over the years, this card has turned into an all-consuming thing that my mom starts preparing for in August. I swear, if we were more together she would have a story board and conference calls devoted to planning that year’s theme. Now it’s a mad dash that can only be coordinated if the four of us happen to be together at some point in November to agree on the theme and plan the execution of the photos. There is always a photo. If you ever get a store bought card from Doreen with an illustrated picture of a tree or something, call the police. She’s been abducted.

So in honor of Christmas being just about a week away, I wanted to share our years of holiday spirit with you and yours. Some of you reading may have received a few of these over the years, and to you I say, you’re welcome. Every day I will be revealing another group of these beauties on the blog, leading up to this year’s card. If you need help containing your excitement, well then… there’s something wrong with you.

Disclaimer: Some of these I am missing the actual card. I know, but you try keeping track of almost thirty years of Christmas joy in paper form. Some of these are just photos, and while a part of me slightly regrets not knowing what the witty accompanying message was, I think these pictures say enough.

Card #1 – 1985

So to be fair, this technically isn’t Card #1 for the Scalera’s. I know, this whole thing is now a sham. As I said before, the first was my parent’s engagement photo. Card #2 was their wedding picture. I chose to start with this adorable photo because this is when the card finally gets interesting. Because it’s MEEEEEEEEEE! That’s right. You have a baby and suddenly you’re not even on your card anymore. Because who can resist a baby in a Christmas dress on a Hunter green felt backdrop? Note the date in the corner- this picture was taken in October. Despite being a new mother, Doreen was still on.top.of.it. I’m not sure why I look so surprised, but I’m guessing it’s because I just realized what I was in for… for the rest of my life.

Card #2 – 1986

Is it just me, or should my parents have bought me a new pair of socks by now? Also I love how the danger of having a one and a half year old standing on a rocking chair is being overlooked for the sake of a quality Christmas card photo. I mean, it’s not like I’m Lily on Modern Family in a Diana Ross wig, but imagine if I had hurt myself? I’m sure no one at the local emergency room would have believed my parents when they told them it was an “accident” during a “Christmas card photo shoot.” But as we have learned, my parents will not be stopped when it comes to taking adorable holiday photos.

Card #3 – 1987 

Okay, I swear I didn’t spend my entire childhood in pajamas. Although, it certainly would explain a lot now. Once again, I want to say that I’m standing on a chair. Also I have finally grown out of those Christmas socks and have moved on to Hush Puppies slippers. I think this is probably when my parents started thinking about having another kid because clearly, they were running out of ideas for a single child.

Look for the next round of pics tomorrow. Two children= double the options for photo ideas.

~L