Christmas family photo session: ideas, outfits and when to book

Every year in November, I get the same messages: "We'd love some family photos for Christmas, is it still possible?" Yes, and it's one of my favorite sessions. There are the garlands, the kids who can't sit still, the cozy sweaters, and that little holiday excitement you can see on everyone's faces. Here's how we prepare it together, so it stays a lovely moment and not one more chore in an already busy month.

Why a Christmas family photo session

In December, everyone is rushing around: presents, meals, travel. The session is an hour where you stop. You're together, you have fun, and someone else takes care of keeping a record of it. For once, you're in the photos, not just behind the phone.

And children change so fast. The Christmas when the youngest discovers the tree, the one when the eldest finally wants to place the star alone: these are milestones you love finding again years later.

At home or outdoors: two moods

At home, it's your tree, your decorations, your rituals. Kids are in their own world, they relax very quickly, and the light from a window is enough for beautiful images. It's ideal with a baby or toddlers who need familiar surroundings.

Outdoors, in Marseille, we're lucky: a Christmas facing the sea. A beach in winter, a tree, a blanket, a few presents, and you get photos unlike any others. Just bring something warm, and accept that the mistral wind sometimes has a say.

Either way, the price is the same: €230, with 15 edited photos. Everything is on the family session page.

Ideas that work, even with toddlers

With children, a pose lasts about three seconds. An activity, on the other hand, can keep them busy for a good while, and that's when the real expressions appear.

• Decorating the tree together: we keep a few ornaments aside, everyone hangs their own, and dad lifts the little one to reach the top.
• Placing the star: a very simple gesture that often becomes the parents' favorite photo.
• Opening a present: a small wrapped gift (even an empty one) always catches a baby's attention.
• Dancing in the living room: one Christmas song, and everyone lets go, even the shyest.
• A group hug at the foot of the tree to finish. Everyone squeezes in, and it always ends in giggles.

I go into more detail in my article on sessions with very energetic kids: no, a child running everywhere doesn't ruin the session.

Outfits: coordinated, not identical

Matching Christmas sweaters for the whole family are fun, but often a bit busy in photos. I suggest a palette instead: two or three colors that go together, each person wearing them their own way.

• Soft tones: cream, beige, off-white, with a texture you want to touch (knit, linen, velvet). Beautiful at home near a window.
• Warm tones: fir green, rust, camel, burgundy. They echo the tree's colors and stand out beautifully outdoors.
• To avoid: big logos, cartoon characters, head-to-toe black, and neon colors.

To go further, I wrote a whole article on how to coordinate family outfits.

When to book (and when you'll get your photos)

Weekends in late November and December go very fast. If you want to give your photos as Christmas gifts, make an album for the grandparents or use them for your holiday cards, the easiest is to book in November and tell me when you book: we'll then choose a date that leaves time to prepare your gallery before the holidays.

Outdoors, I suggest a late-afternoon slot. In December, the sun sets early in Marseille, around 5 pm: the session often starts mid-afternoon, which works well with little ones' naps. At home, we pick the time of day when the light comes into your living room best.

The details that make Christmas

While you have fun, I also photograph the little things: a velvet bow on a branch, a sparkling bauble, small hands digging through the basket of decorations. These details tell the mood, and they're perfect for a card or the first page of an album.

If you have a decoration with a story (the ornament from your own childhood, baby's first bauble), bring it out: we'll give it a place.

Expecting a baby for the holidays?

The last Christmas as a couple, or the last one before a little brother arrives, is a lovely moment to keep. We can do a maternity session at the foot of the tree, at your home, with your decorations, your dog and your favorite throw. It's gentle, intimate, and we can take as many breaks as you like. Everything is on the maternity session page.

What you keep, years later

Nobody remembers the perfect outfits or the tidy living room. You remember the giggles during the hug, the little one who placed the star crooked, the baby who preferred the paper to the gift. That's what I look for during the session: you, together, as you are that Christmas.

Want to make it your end-of-year tradition? Write to me, I reply personally.

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