Living Simply: Photos to capture

     People take a lot of pictures during all the December holidays and activities. Becoming more and more minimalist, I tend to take less photos now since I won't be printing and storing them somewhere, but I do still capture things that are different. So far in December, I captured a few photos of our beach-themed decor and tree, pictures from the first time taking my Mom to see a street nearby that is completely lit up and decorated by every single house, and pictures from a lit-up boat parade at the nearby lake. I post them on social media than either delete them or I'll save them on a flash drive. Less room, keep the memories, and maybe someday I'll put them in a digital photo frame instead of collages that get old so fast. Here's a few things to capture this season - if you want to minimize the excess and maximize the best of the best:

1.  Friends & Family - after someone's passed away, friends and family always wish they had more photos of them to remember them. The memories are in your mind, not just on photo paper, but to focus on the important, take a few pictures of family and friends this season. It could be for Christmas Dinner, Hanukkah traditions being passed down (like Grandfather showing his granddaughter how to light the menorah), maybe it's a Kwanzaa gathering, or some other occasion. Be sure to capture those photos if someone you almost never see travels (or you travel) to be together.

2.  Your family's traditions - is there something your family does uniquely that's part of tradition? Is

there a particular ornament that's been passed down? Do you always attend a particular event, like seeing The Nutcracker? Do you always let the kids open one present (usually it's pajamas in many families) Christmas Eve? Capture what you do that's unique.

3.  Special foods - I know photos of food is sort of ridiculous if you're on vacation or just out with friends, but...what about the one recipe handed down from generation to generation? Get a photo of it to pass along with the recipe for the next time it's passed down. Are there certain foods unique to your culture, ethnicity, or family? If your holidays always includes a few special once a year foods, then capture that.

4.  Did you do something different and special? Did you travel to
somewhere? Drive to a cabin in the mountains to see snow? Venture to a tropical beach to escape the cold? Capture that special holiday.

5.  If there is a special charity you're involved in this year, document it with a few photographs. It could be the beginning of a legacy.

When the kids were small, we were poor, but we took money, went to a dollar store, and bought the best gifts we could for kids - books, toys that weren't cheap and flimsy, like maybe a barbie type doll or action figure, and we wrapped them, and dropped them off anonymously at the local hospitals. We left them to be distributed for the kids who got stuck in the hospital for Christmas. No recognition. No names. Just a gift to kids missing out on their typical traditions.