I love the holidays. I love candy canes and sparkly lights and piney-smelling trees and colorful wrapping paper and “A Christmas Story” 24-hour marathons on TV. But I don’t love how somehow, no matter how much I prepare for it, Christmas sneaks up on me every year. I’m always still recovering from the massive stuffing-induced food coma of Thanksgiving and then BAM! one week to Christmas. And in 7 days, I must get a tree, and deck the halls, and eat 18 days worth of chocolates from the advent calendar, and listen to as much KOST-Your-Official-Holiday-Music-Station as my brain can handle, and go out and battle all the other Christmas procrastinators for holiday gifts. I seriously have been planning all year to do 100% of my holiday shopping on Etsy from the comfort of my living room couch, but yet again, crafty Christmas and online holiday deadlines have duped me. But have no fear blog world – Christmas 2010 will be different! I can’t tell you exactly what my plan is, but it has something to do with finding a lot that sells Christmas trees in July ;)

There is one more Christmas activity on the list that I admit I had hoped to start earlier. Last year, Chris+Lynn Photographers started up a “Cans for Comments” drive as a way to give back during the holidays. I was one of many photogs who jumped on the can-wagon & by the time the holidays came around, Cans for Comments had spread like wildfire in the photography community! I loved the response I got on this little blog last year and am happy to announce we will be at it again!

For all comments left between now and December 31st, I will be donating 1 can per comment to our local foodbank. Thank you so much to everyone who participated last year & looking forward to your lovely comments this year!

And because I would never leave you without a photo, here’s a quick one of a sweet favor from the Urbanic holiday party earlier this month. Sugarcube Press was there with their letterpress, helping everyone manually letterpress their own ornaments!

In my usual Sunday blog perusing (or blog stalking.. call it what you will!) I paid a visit to Justin & Mary Marantz’s ever-fabulous blog. I found that they’re participating in an awesome “cans for comments” drive that was originally started by Chris + Lynn Photographers and has since been picked up by other Vancouver photographers. I was totally inspired to jump right onto the bandwagon and bring it to the westsiiiide! It’s a totally simple concept: you comment (on any of my blog entries) and I buy a can! For all comments left between now and Friday, December 12th I will be buying an equal number of cans and donating them to our local food bank. Please don’t be shy – I would love if you would help the cause and leave a few words… especially if you’ve never said hello before! :) And while you’re at it, why don’t you go leave a few words at the totally awesome above-mentioned blogs as well!

Before I head to bed, here’s a from sneak peek from Gabi’s downtown LA headshot session. (I completely realize this is a handshot, and not a headshot, but there will totally be shots with heads soon, I promise ;)