1. The idea

If your family is anything like mine, my mom gets a vision in her head of what our Christmas card will look like each year--and we must stick to it.

2. Coordinating outfits

With my mom's vision comes coordinated outfits, like the year in elementary school when my sister and I wore matching fuzzy scarves, or this year, when we wore our finest Chicago Cubs apparel.

3. Choosing a location

You see, the lighting in the front yard is better. But, according to my sister, the neighbors might see us in our matching Cubs shirts and therefore taking the Christmas card picture would be better in the backyard.

4. Deciding on a formation

Should we alternate child, parent, child, parent, or should the children be in the middle, or should the parents be in the middle and the children be on either sides? It's quite the process.

5. Figuring out what to do with your hands

Hand on your hip or arm at your side? That can make or break a photo.

6. Looking at the picture on the family camera to see if you all look decent in it

"My eyes look funny," "I don't like the way my hair looks," or "Can we just retake it?"

7. Choosing a different location

Just in case the first location didn't work out, a backup plan is always important. (i.e. taking multiple pictures in the front yard and then more in the backyard)

8. Repeating steps 4, 5, & 6

9. Deciding on which photo is best and wait until next year