Rediscovering Christmas 2011 through my scrapbook lens

Let's take a little trip back to Christmas 2011 through my December Daily Christmas album. I crafted this gem using my own scrapbook templates and had it printed through Shutterfly. After 12 years, there's a bit of age staining on the end papers, but it's still in pretty good shape.

I used a mix of my own handwriting font, my 31 day template album and a bunch of Christmas supplies I've collected over the years. I set up a daily template, tweaking it with numbers and some stamped designs. Its a fun blend of daily life and festive events. My approach to journaling was pretty structured, focusing on different themes like:

• Traditions
• Singing
• Buying
• Receiving
• Eating
• Organizing
• Watching
• Listening
• Realizing
• Giving

I blogged each day in December 2011 and used those posts to shape the album. Christmas is also birthday season in our house, so there's always a lot to document.

Speaking of memories, anyone remember my podcast? I was up there in the hobbies category on iTunes in Australia. Those screenshots are a blast from the past. We also captured some classic Christmas moments like caroling and sending out cards. Its all there, even our matching mauve outfits and Emily's excitement over her dress.

Christmas Day was a whirlwind, visiting three venues with family. It's funny to look back and see how things have changed - like how I wasn't brave enough to swim in the cool December ocean, but now I'm the family swimmer. Our Christmas tree, gifts, and even New Year's Eve made it into the album.

How about you? Have you documented your Christmas 2011? I'd love to see your albums. Going through old albums is like stepping into a time capsule. Sure, I might choose different embellishments now, but they capture a moment in time, so I don't mind. Those rounded corners were all the rage back then, right?

Our photos turned out surprisingly well, considering it was before the iPhone era. We were still using our trusty mega-zoom camera!

Thanks for joining me on this nostalgic journey through my Christmas album. I hope you're inspired to do something with your own Christmas memories. And hey, if you're thinking about making a photo book, why not check out my simple family yearbook class? It's a breeze and perfect for busy moms or grandmas. You can even preview some lessons and start crafting your own family stories.