My Long Lost Holiday Friend, Olan Mills

My mom took studio Christmas photos almost EVERY YEAR when I was a kid, so she could put them in Christmas cards. Just a hunch... she looooved the tree/fireplace backdrop.

Over the last several months, I've scanned thousands of family photos, including all the studio Christmas portraits I could find. These ones span from 1990 to 2000. My sister Ashley was born in November 1994, so she made an appearance in the photos starting then. :)

I remember wearing the dark green velour/lace dress in that second to last photo for so many occasions around 1997: My cousins' double wedding on the Gateway Clipper, my first Pittsburgh Symphony concert, and this Christmas photo. That gawdy get up has come back to haunt me so many times via old photos.

And it's pretty obvious I was going into my lengthy awkward middle school phase by the last one. I could never figure out how to keep my bangs straight, and swore them off for years. Until I got them again a couple years ago and now can't imagine my forehead and face without them. Haha.

I seriously hated studio portraits as a kid, but having this collection now is kind of nice.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?