The Great Christmas Card Race

Picture Christmas Cards are all the rage these days.  The only non-family picture card I've received was from an older couple that haven't jumped on the trend boat yet.  At a wedding shower this weekend, the hostess had approximately 30 different family photo Christmas cards she had received on display.  I admit, I really enjoy these cards and would rather see the smiling faces of people I love than just another snowman.  But, they create a bit of a challenge for the single person.
First of all, sending a picture of you by yourself is a little awkward.  It can be interpretted as lonely, vain or as "Why does she think I want a picture of her?"  The single person has to have a really cool picture in order to justify sending out a picture of themselves alone.  And, they have to top this picture every year by being more cool, more adventurous, or more Christmasy.  This also forces the risk of looking as though you're trying to brag and show off your fun single life to the moms that would really like to get out of the house every now and then. 
Which is another thing - Families have kids.  Kids grow and look different each year.  Unless a single person dies their hair purple or has gastric bypass surgery, he or she pretty much looks the same - so you have to make the picture exciting and worthwhile in some other way. (Married couples without kids can totally get away with the picture card because there is 2 people to look at.) 
You can feature a picture of you and your dog or cat each year, but that can be misconstrued as pathetic or weird (which it totally isn't - I mean, have you seen how stinkin' cute my dog is?)
I have had two single-person photo Christmas cards in the past.  The first was when I was living and working in DC and it featured a picture of me at the White House press room podium.  Totally fit all of the criteria of a cool picture in an exciting time of my life.  The second card featured a trio of pictures - including one of me with the Rockefeller Christmas tree, one of the angels beside the Christmas tree, and one of my dog looking super cute in a red bow.  This fit the criteria of not just being me, being a cool experience, being Christmasy, and being super cute.
This year, I racked my brain as to what picture to use, and had a great idea but it would have required a photo shoot.  Life and Christmas are stressful enough - so while standing in a checkout line and freaking out about what all I had to do that day, I decided to release myself from all the pressure and just send cards.  From TJ Maxx.  And on sale.  But still, so very cute. 

Photo of strangers from Snapfish :).