Grey Finn's First Christmas

Like most folks, my Christmas plan this year was to spend time with my family. Out of 52 weeks each year, we typically only have a week together so as you can imagine, our holiday plans are highly anticipated. Unfortunately, covid-19 restrictions, along with a covid-19 scare in the family forced us to rethink our plans and celebrate virtually instead. Having spent the last nine months working from home and sitting in countless Zoom meetings, this is certainly not ideal. However, any celebration is appreciated as I value any time we spend together in whatever capacity.

Though I won't have any physical family time this year, there is a silver lining. On my last birthday, December 15, 2020, I adopted a sweet little fur baby who is as cute as a button! I have been trying to adopt for the past two years, but the waiting lists have always had over one hundred eager potential cat parents. So, when a co-worker who fosters kittens told me she had the perfect kitten for me, I adopted him without hesitation. Hs is a grey domestic short-haired tabby, and because of the colour of his fur, his foster mom named him Grey. After I brought Grey home, my niece called me on Facetime to share a list of names that she came up with because the name Grey was too boring. She settled on Finn, but my indecisiveness led me to name him Grey Finn.

As the newest and tiniest member of our family, Grey Finn has been a ray of sunshine even though I've only had him for just over a week. Even my mom, who isn't a feline fan asks to see him every time she calls (almost every day). Not to mention the fact that my sister and friends are constantly asking for pictures! This gave me an idea; I should create holiday cards with adorable pictures of Finn and me. Below are the steps I had to go through to make this a reality.

Step One: Add A Few Props To The Scene

I wasn't sure what to expect, so I put out a few props to gauge Grey Finn's reaction. Thanks to his curiosity and playfulness, he immediately got frisky. I was happy that he liked all the Christmas decor that I got from the dollar store. But, I soon noticed that it was going to take me a long time to get him to remain in one position long enough for me to get any pictures.

Step Two: Add More Props

Against my better judgement, I added more props so that the photos would be as festive as possible. However, that was the least of Grey Finn's concerns. As far as he was concerned, these props were far better than any of his toys, and so he went to town on them. I couldn't resist playing with him since he spends most of his days sleeping, so in relishing the moment, I forgot for a second that we were supposed to be taking pictures.

Step Three: Make Grey Finn Feel Comfortable

When the time finally came to take some pictures, it came as no surprise that Grey Finn did not stay still when he was told. However, when I was on the verge of giving up mid-shoot and sat down for a break, he came and innocently relaxed on my lap. This is the only photo I was able to get of him being calm while simultaneously looking into the camera. Why can't he be this chill all the time?

Step Four: Attempt To Take Some Pictures

Thanks to covid-19, having a professional take these photos was not an option. So, I set up my tripod and commenced the arduous task of setting my timer and running to pose. I ran back and forth so many times, only to later realise that ninety percent of the photos were blurry. Luckily, I got a few options that were decent enough for my DIY Christmas cards.

Step Five: Put Grey Finn to Bed

I didn't know who was more sleepy after the shoot, me or Grey Finn. What I did know was that this tiny critter was tired of me telling him to 'look into the camera' and 'stop moving'. As such, he left me hanging and plopped himself down on my bed to take a nap. I tried to keep the pictures going as you can see below, but I was clearly the only enjoying this.

Step Six: Lick My Wounds

I don't think I know of any cat parents who haven't been scratched by their pets. I have a few scars of my own, some of which were from the shoot. Why did I dare to try to take festive photos with a ten-week-old kitten? I guess I had it coming! Anyways, I've just had to suck it up since it comes with the territory and quite frankly, it was still a fun process, so I have no regrets.

Bloopers

(This was litter-ally the most challenging photoshoot I've ever done!)

If you've ever been a cat mom or dad, you know how hard it is to get your fur baby to stay still on your terms. So, of course, there were difficulties in capturing these photos. Below are a few of the pictures that came out super blurry because Grey Finn thought it was okay to dart across the bed while I tried to take some holiday card-worthy images.

Finished Products

I am delighted to say that out of the 100 pictures in my camera roll from this photoshoot, I was able to find a few nice ones to share. I created quite a few cards using free Canva templates, and I am not disappointed one bit. I'd typically send virtual cards from 123Greetings.com or Hallmark, but nothing beats the personal touch of a DIY card. Also, I know that the Grey Finn fans in my life will be quite thrilled to receive pictures of him on their Christmas cards.

Lastly, I also made a holiday video card for sharing with everyone else in my network, including my Vocal family. I wish you all a Meowy Christmas and a Paw-sperous New Year, and I look forward to reading more awesome content from you all in 2021!