Yes, that’s right. 2010. It’s too late now for 2009, but you could start taking pictures now to produce a gift calendar for next Christmas. What do you have to do? Take a themed picture each month of all the kids, assemble them next October into a calendar, get them printed, and give them as gifts!

Starting with October, here are some month-by-month tips to get great themed pictures of the kids for your fabulous calendar next year.

October:

  • dress in overalls, photo in pumpkin patch, cornfield, hay bales
  • halloween costumes, trick or treat bags, candlelight

November:

  • dress in aprons and chef hats, action photo of them cooking in the kitchen
  • Pilgrims or Native Americans, Thanksgiving props - harvest corn, cornucopia

December:

  • dress in coordinating pajamas in front of the Christmas tree
  • Family Christmas card photo
  • matching scarves and singing carols

January:

  • dress in winter clothes in the snow, skiing, or ice skating
  • New Year’s scene with party hats and horns

February:

  • dress in blue jeans with red and white tops, photo on your sofa
  • cardmaking action photo

March:

  • dress in gardening gear, photo of kids planting seeds in the dirt
  • St. Patrick’s Day theme, green clothes, shamrocks, etc.

April:

  • dress in Easter clothes, photo in front of Easter lilies or baskets
  • rainy day theme with raincoats, boots and umbrellas, or splashing in puddles

May:

  • dress in shorts and t-shirts, photo of kids playing in new grass
  • planting flowers, gardening, school’s out theme
  • Memorial Day theme, photo with relative/family friend in the armed forces

June:

  • dress in play clothes, photo of kids posing with bikes
  • beach scene, swimsuits
  • vacation photos, roadtrip theme

July:

  • dress in red, white, and blue, photo with American flag or other patriotic symbol
  • picnic theme
  • historical landmark theme

August:

  • dress in back-to-school clothes, photo with backpacks and lunchboxes, holding an apple for the teacher
  • park theme with photo on the slide or swings, or all the kids hanging from monkeybars

September:

  • dress in favorite football team fan gear, photo at a game or with a football and/or pompoms

If you wanted to, you could certainly go back through your photos from last year, or have a crazy photo session and dress up for each on of these photos for a 2009 calendar. It’s a good time to plan ahead, though, and decide if this is something you’d like to do for next year. If it is, mark these photo days on your calendar now!