Is this vain? Mostly just a photo, not so much a card.

[Danika]

I like the picture cards myself, although I prefer a holiday card that looks at least somewhat holiday-ish.  If the second card showed the family playing in the snow or hanging out by their tree, it would work for me.  Right now it looks like a JCPenney ad.

I do have one request for picture cards:  Please keep your clothes on.  I know that you took a lovely tropical vacation last year, but I don't want pictures of barechested family members on my mantle, unless you look like Matt Bomer:

I love that you used Matt Bomer as the example! I wish I had more friends who looked like him and sent me holiday cards with photos of their beach vacations! 

[Miss March]

I enjoy getting picture cards. I'm always slightly bummed out when the pictures are only of the children though, and don't include the parents. I like to see the whole family.

[gramma dishes]

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the picture cards!  Especially the ones with children. 

Our family is so scattered that we often go years without seeing each other in person.  If the parents aren't on the card, that's probably okay because they probably look pretty much the same as they looked last year.  But kids are a whole different matter.  They change so much in a year's time.

So if I'm on your Christmas list, please send me a picture card.  I display them, save them and cherish them.  I  have a special box I've been keeping for over forty years just for those cards.  (I don't save any of the commercial "regular" ones.)  The picture ones hold a lot of meaning.

Now if I don't know you, then maybe a 'traditional' card might be more appropriate.  But if you're my family or friend, send pictures!! 

[BusyBee]

I enjoy getting picture cards. I'm always slightly bummed out when the pictures are only of the children though, and don't include the parents. I like to see the whole family.

I love photo cards too, but I feel vain putting my picture on it.  This only applies to me, though, because I love getting cards with the adults included.  Plus, it's hard enough getting a good shot of the kids without trying to be in it too. 
Maybe next year.

[magicdomino]

I like receiving photo cards—with facebook I never seem to get around to printing photos of the people I love. I like it when they do it for me. With the first type of card I usually cut out the picture, with the second it would probably be a lot easier to just tuck into an album.

I've been contemplating sending out photo cards for the first time this year with pictures of my cats, but I'm not sure if that would be obnoxious.

I hope it is okay; I've stuck a photo or two of the cats in my holiday letter if it was a boring year.  I've attempted to get Nani and Koa to pose with holiday props, but so far, they haven't cooperated very well.

[Miss March]

I happened to catch a really cute picture of my husband and our new kitten, and I'm thinking of printing it out and including it in a few Christmas cards this year. We've even joked about using photoshop to try and put a little elf hat on the kitten's head to make it more holiday appropriate.

[megswsu]

I've never thought these cards were vain! I *love* getting them. I put them up on the wall and they stay up for the better part of the year. It helps my 3 year old, and soon her 10 month old brother, to see a the various faces daily, reminding them of who their friends and family are. 

We send the cards out too, but have never done a "holiday" themed pic. I'm just not creative enough to do something like that. Maybe one day. Although I do feel I should get our cats in on the photo this year. Gotta figure that one out....

[gramma dishes]

I happened to catch a really cute picture of my husband and our new kitten, and I'm thinking of printing it out and including it in a few Christmas cards this year. We've even joked about using photoshop to try and put a little elf hat on the kitten's head to make it more holiday appropriate.

I think you should do it -- with or without the elf hat.  The picture of your manly-man husband with a teeny tiny kitten would be cute enough as is.

[Seraphia]

I love photo cards! Especially when there are pictures of the kids or the pets and I can see how big they've gotten etc.

My favorite Christmas card Mom ever made was when she got a picture of our new kitten sitting in one of the toy houses we had up as a decoration. There was a wreath on the house and cotton snow around it, and Otis poking his head out the top. We had more than a couple people tell us we had a pretty cute cat.

[KenveeB]

Is it bad that this thread made me think to buy some props for our annual photo this year?   I'll post the results after I take them.

[zyrs]

I like either style, but I definitely want to see the holiday sweater, rudolph antler thing.

[Cat-Fu]

Hm, perhaps I will do photo cards of my cats in antlers and matching festive sweaters... of course, I may not survive the experience.

[magicdomino]

Hm, perhaps I will do photo cards of my cats in antlers and matching festive sweaters... of course, I may not survive the experience.

Yeah, if I tried it with mine, the resulting bloodletting would be more appropriate for Halloween.