Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

Share this article:

Add post form topAdd Post
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

Every Year For The Last 21 Years, Our Family Has Been Creating Christmas-Themed Holiday Cards With A Twist (21 Pics)
User submission
6.8K

Every Year For The Last 21 Years, Our Family Has Been Creating Christmas-Themed Holiday Cards With A Twist (21 Pics)

ADVERTISEMENT

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!

More info: mckeephotography.com | youtube.com | Facebook | Instagram

RELATED:

    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.

    ADVERTISEMENT

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

    2002. The first-ever Rocketboy and Gears together

    ADVERTISEMENT

    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.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    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

    ADVERTISEMENT

    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!”

    ADVERTISEMENT

    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

    ADVERTISEMENT

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

    ADVERTISEMENT

    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…

    ADVERTISEMENT

    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

    ADVERTISEMENT

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

    7Kviews

    Share on Facebook
    Matt McKee

    Matt McKee

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    I am a commercial photographer based in Boston, specializing in photo composites and health sciences photography

    Read less »
    Matt McKee

    Matt McKee

    Author, Community member

    I am a commercial photographer based in Boston, specializing in photo composites and health sciences photography

    Julija Svidraitė

    Julija Svidraitė

    Author, Community member

    Read more »

    Julija Svidraitė is an editor here at Bored Panda who has a bachelor's degree in Psychology. Before starting her journey at BP, she had worked as a social media specialist at a marketing agency. She has also tried herself in a few different fields working as an intern: from practicing graphic design at a social media marketing agency, to being an assistant at a psychiatric hospital. Besides writing, Julija is also very passionate about illustrating, drinking coffee, and watching crime documentaries. You can find her in Bored Panda Office or reach her at julija.s@boredpanda.com.

    Read less »

    Julija Svidraitė

    Julija Svidraitė

    Author, Community member

    Julija Svidraitė is an editor here at Bored Panda who has a bachelor's degree in Psychology. Before starting her journey at BP, she had worked as a social media specialist at a marketing agency. She has also tried herself in a few different fields working as an intern: from practicing graphic design at a social media marketing agency, to being an assistant at a psychiatric hospital. Besides writing, Julija is also very passionate about illustrating, drinking coffee, and watching crime documentaries. You can find her in Bored Panda Office or reach her at julija.s@boredpanda.com.

    Diana Lopetaitė

    Diana Lopetaitė

    Moderator, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Hey there, Pandas! My name is Diana (though some prefer to refer to me as Diane, Deanna, and even Liana sometimes), and I am a Community Post Moderator Lead for Bored Panda. As my position title states, I am one of the people (employed Pandas for bamboo) over here who work with the community side of things on this website to ensure all is well, and while at that, I also help various creators and artists get recognition for the incredible work they do by connecting them to a large worldwide audience. Other than that, outside of work, you can find me brewing a nice cup of coffee, making a pizza from scratch, or baking brownies. I also love traveling, concerts, and cats (heavy on that, because I am a cat mom).

    Read less »

    Diana Lopetaitė

    Diana Lopetaitė

    Moderator, BoredPanda staff

    Hey there, Pandas! My name is Diana (though some prefer to refer to me as Diane, Deanna, and even Liana sometimes), and I am a Community Post Moderator Lead for Bored Panda. As my position title states, I am one of the people (employed Pandas for bamboo) over here who work with the community side of things on this website to ensure all is well, and while at that, I also help various creators and artists get recognition for the incredible work they do by connecting them to a large worldwide audience. Other than that, outside of work, you can find me brewing a nice cup of coffee, making a pizza from scratch, or baking brownies. I also love traveling, concerts, and cats (heavy on that, because I am a cat mom).

    What do you think ?
    Add photo comments
    POST
    Cadmar Orion
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wanna write books/screenplays to these... I gotta say those are some handsome boys though

    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Cadmar Orion, to get you started, there are one page, “randomly selected” excerpts from each of the Rocketboy and Gears stories. As if someone opened the “book” up to a random page in the story. Let me know what you think!

    Load More Replies...
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    One August, we did plan on doing a “documentary” video that would spoof the old hardy boys mysteries. The two boys, sitting in directors chairs, being interviewed... but, we ran out of summer that year.

    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When I was putting together the collection, I couldn’t believe how much they had grown. But I remember every shoot with them! 😁

    Annie
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Good job! So creative and adorable. I'd love to receive cards like that. Hope they continue the tradition!

    Cadmar Orion
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wanna write books/screenplays to these... I gotta say those are some handsome boys though

    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Cadmar Orion, to get you started, there are one page, “randomly selected” excerpts from each of the Rocketboy and Gears stories. As if someone opened the “book” up to a random page in the story. Let me know what you think!

    Load More Replies...
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    One August, we did plan on doing a “documentary” video that would spoof the old hardy boys mysteries. The two boys, sitting in directors chairs, being interviewed... but, we ran out of summer that year.

    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When I was putting together the collection, I couldn’t believe how much they had grown. But I remember every shoot with them! 😁

    Annie
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Good job! So creative and adorable. I'd love to receive cards like that. Hope they continue the tradition!

    Related on Bored Panda
    Related on Bored Panda
    Trending on Bored Panda
    Also on Bored Panda