✨ The Heart of the Holidays: Everyone’s Finally Together

The Christmas season is one of the few times when families across Michigan — and often across the country — gather under one roof. With college kids home, grandparents visiting, and siblings in town, it’s a rare chance to capture everyone together in one beautiful frame.

If you’ve ever said, “We should really get a photo of all of us sometime,” Christmas is that sometime.

📅 The Week of Christmas Is Naturally Slower

Between Christmas and New Year’s, the rush of everyday life slows down. Work pauses, school breaks begin, and families finally have breathing room. It’s one of the few times of year when no one’s rushing out the door to soccer practice or meetings, which makes for relaxed, stress-free photos.

Even a few days before or after Christmas works perfectly for cozy sessions — the lights are still glowing, everyone’s home, and the energy feels joyful, not rushed.

❄️ Michigan’s Winter Beauty Makes a Stunning Backdrop for an extended family session

Whether it’s a dusting of snow, frosted pine trees, or cozy flannel and firelight indoors, Michigan in December has a quiet, timeless charm.

You can choose between:

• Outdoor sessions: sometimes snowy scenes, plaid blankets, boots, and laughter

• Indoor sessions: fireside portraits, baking cookies, decorating the tree, or just enjoying coffee with family

  
  

Either way, it’s a moment that reflects the warmth of being together — even in the coldest months.

🍪 A Personal Tradition I Keep Missing (But Love the Idea Of)

Every year, I tell myself this will be the year I finally take a Zingerman’s holiday cookie class with some of my family. And every year — the moment I check their site — every single class is already sold out!

It’s such a simple example of what happens during the holidays: time fills up, schedules overlap, and those “we’ll do it next year” moments slip away faster than we expect. That’s exactly why I love helping families slow down long enough to be together — even if it’s just for an hour behind the camera.

Whether it’s baking cookies, laughing in the snow, or snuggling up by the tree, the memories we make now become the traditions we treasure later.

🕯️ Perfect for Generational Photos and Heirloom Gifts

Extended family sessions aren’t just photos — they’re legacy pieces. Think of it: grandparents surrounded by grandkids, siblings laughing together again, three generations in one image.

Those are the photos that become framed keepsakes and family heirlooms — the ones future generations will treasure. And what better time to create them than when everyone is already gathered for the holidays?

Plus, these photos make beautiful gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or next year’s Christmas cards.

💡 It’s More Than a Photo — It’s a Memory in Motion

Extended family sessions during the holidays tend to feel less like a photoshoot and more like time spent together. Between laughs, hugs, and stories shared, I capture real moments — the ones you’ll feel years later.

That’s why I love photographing families in the quiet, candid rhythm of Christmas. It’s not about perfection — it’s about connection.

📸 Ready to Book Your Holiday Session?

If your family will be together this Christmas — or even a few days before or after — now is the perfect time to schedule your extended family session. Dates around the holidays fill up quickly, but they’re among my favorite sessions all year.

👉 Contact Kelseycharmayne Photography to reserve your spot. Let’s capture the joy, laughter, and love that make your family’s story one of a kind.