Family Christmas cards can look pretty generic and boring. Here’s what I did to make mine a bit… more.

Grab your kid. Grab a concept. Get creative. Don’t settle for the standard “family portrait” because all of us have that little something that makes us unique and different from the neighbors. We are unusual because our kids are better than everyone else’s (says every Dad everywhere).

Visually tell the story of that uniqueness. Add a bow or a star, and you have a unique holiday card!

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1999. The first card. And, yes, he tipped over a couple of times

Okay, of course, it isn’t as simple as that. But it isn’t complicated either.

Back in 1999, my wife and I wanted to do a holiday card for our families. I also wanted to use it to reach out to clients of my relatively new photography business.

The usual family portrait cards are fine for what they are, but they don’t really tell much of a story. They only show a cleaned-up version of the family, in their ugly Christmas sweaters. They certainly won’t impress my clients.

2001. Do you hear what I hear? Look closely for mom… Er… Santa in the background!

2002. The first-ever Rocketboy and Gears together

2003. Rocketboy and Gears sing carols. Ain’t they cute? The attention span of a gnat!

Hunter was just able to sit up. So we plunked him down in front of the fireplace and the first card was born. The next year was “Do You Hear What I Hear?” Don’t tell anyone that my wife was the stand-in for Santa.

The cards progressed and Shay came on the scene. Of course, he got drafted for the cards as well.

Watching how the kids interacted and told stories to each other was the inspiration for Fishing For Gifts, in 2008.

2004. Rocketboy and Gears as the frost brothers

2005. Remember the last scene in Indiana Jones? You know how kids like to play with the box more than the toys that came in it? Try one made out of plywood! It was in their play area for 2 years!

2006. Rocketboy and Gears as the Santa patrol

The next year, the Rocketboy and Gears characters really took over the series. The kids were driving the storyline, coming up with their own ideas and props. And putting my Photoshop skills to the test with every new idea.

The response to each new card has been growing every year, with friends, family, and clients eagerly awaiting the newest edition. During a phone call last year, one cousin, Delia Moulton, said “I loved the story excerpts in each card. I wish they were real books!”

2007. CSI was on the must watch list this year

2008. Rocketboy and Gears in fishing for gifts

2009. Rocketboy and Gears the case of the mistletoe

With the boys turning 18 and 21 this past year, there is a question about how long the series can continue.

I really can’t say. The boys are running the show now. I ask them periodically if they want to do another card. They just look at me and then start pitching ideas for the next cover.

2010. Rocketboy and Gears sing the holiday hits. Yeah, the boys can’t seem to keep a straight face when we are creating these cards

2011. Rocketboy and Gears in it was a quiet night. We had fun building the console together

2012. Cooking with Rocketboy and Gears. Rocketboy found an old zippo and we just had to include it in the card!

2013. Poor Santa. Open heart surgery? (Don’t worry, kids. Santa came out fine!)

2014. Rocketboy and Gears in the coal case file, with a bad yeti joke inside

2015. Rocketboy and Gears in a tangled tinsel tale. Rocketboy (Shay) was just getting started with welding in the workshop. And, Gear (Hunter) was doing something with electricity. We don’t know what, but the lights would dim periodically in the house…

2016. Rocketboy and Gears, cracking the Christmas caper

2017. Rocketboy and Gears just dropping in! Nope. No biplane either!

2018. Rocketboy and Gears in training! Okay, so we didn’t get a motorcycle into the studio (wouldn’t fit in the elevator)

2019. Rocketboy and Gears and the missing case of Candi Kanes. We really got into putting in easter eggs. The bulletin board features mom and dad as connected, somehow, to the fat man

2020. Rocketboy and Gears is the case claused? Both boys are rockin the covid facial hair!

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