Christmas Photography Tips and Tricks

With Christmas right around the corner, I thought I would share some tips and tricks to ensure you get some great pictures to remember Christmas 2013 for years to come!
Tip 1: Take pictures when people aren't paying attention.

You get the most genuine expressions when people aren't trying to look good in front of the camera. The pictures I have when people aren't looking become some of my favorites.
Tip 2: Take pictures of the ornaments that are important or sentimental to you.

Take pictures of ornaments that mean the most to you, and write down why they are important. For example, in the top picture, the ornament with the white lace? My grandma made that before she died. And it was on my mom's tree. My first Christmas in my new house my mom gave it to me to put onto my tree. Someday, I want my children to know why it is so special to me.
Tip 3: Take pictures of your tree.

This may be an obvious one, but I think its very important. I have started taking pictures of our tree every year to see how it changes. My boyfriend and I don't have children, but when we do I expect that our tree will change very much. Right now it is a lot of store bought ornaments with a few sentimental ones. I expect that ratio will change after we have children. I think the tree is a good indicator of how your life has changed Christmas to Christmas. 
I hope you can utilize these tips to capture some of your Christmas on film (err.. on memory? What do we say now that we use digital cameras?!) whether you use a DSLR or a point and shoot.  And I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!