The holiday season is one of my favourite times of year, and I know that doesn’t make me special. My all-time favourite season is Halloween/October. This is for lots of reasons: my son’s birthday, slightly cooler weather if we Texans are lucky, Halloween.

But there’s something undeniably special about the winter holiday season as well. Cold weather (again, if we’re lucky), cookies and sweets, Christmas music, traditions, that undeniable cheer that gets infused into almost everything. Oh, and how everything is decorated all shiny and glittery? YES PLEASE.

I’ve been focusing a lot lately on natural light photography, but in between gorgeous outdoor sessions at places like Arbor Hills and Stone Creek Park, I do like to do an in home session here and there. It challenges me to step out of my comfort zone and work harder on posing and composition, and to really focus on getting lighting just right. I did one such session this past weekend for the Chamberlain family.

This is obviously the classic Christmas card set-up: Mom and Dad (or in this case stepdad!), child and dog, beautiful Christmas tree, amazing holiday décor, and a fireplace. I was so in awe when I stepped into the Chamberlains house and saw how well Samantha had decorated their house. No surprise, as she works for Michael’s corporate office in addition to having a natural flair for stylish décor.

However, there was a little something that made this otherwise classic Christmas card shoot extra-ordinary: Samantha, Richard, and Ryan have an exciting secret to share …

Come summer of next year, there will be a brand new baby in their family!

Baby Chamberlain will join mom, dad, and big brother, not to mention the family pup Jody, and the family Christmas card seemed to me the perfect way to let people know. After all, what greater gift could there be than making a family a little bigger and a little more joyful?

Merry Christmas, Samantha, Richard, and Ryan, and warmest congratulations on your new addition. I can’t wait to meet your precious little one next year!