One of the most important aspects of family portraits is the pose. You do not want it to look forced or stiff. At the same time, you do not want everyone scattered about the photo or some people hidden behind others. Below are some idea for poses that you may want to consider will taking a family portrait.
Natural Interaction

Sometimes, the best pose is one that is not posed at all. Have the family interact together, tell some jokes or even dance around. This may take away from the jitters of having your picture taken or entertain a child who is apprehensive or just refuses to smile. These candid shots may be the most special because family members will look natural and in their element.
Tilt Your Head

We have no set rule in our house for when we dismantle the Christmas tree, but after many years, I’ve reached this conclusion: The moment you walk through the room without noticing it, it’s time to kick the tree to the curb.

Christmas trees should stop you in your tracks, if not literally, then emotionally. The day that stops happening, what’s the point?

This puts me at some disagreement with my housemates, one of whom has the opinion a tree should stay up as long as possible. The practical translation of that would be, “Until I’m back at college and don’t have to deal with taking it down.”

Lifeskate.com“>

The 70-year-old Norway spruce, this year’s Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in New York, is to return to Connecticut as lumber for affordable homes.

The tree, almost 80 feet high, was taken down Thursday night and cut up by a milling machine Friday, the Stamford Advocate reported. The wood is to be used in an eight-unit condominium being built by Habitat for Humanity in Stamford.

Iveth Bowie, who is to occupy one of the condos, came to New York to watch.

Still have the real Christmas tree up?

There are some 30 million real Christmas trees sold each year. And every year around this time, most trees are found encrusted in snow, bits of tinsel clinging to branches at the end of the driveway waiting for curbside pick-up.

Yes, many community recycling services pick up the trees – or you can drop them off at a transfer station – where they are essentially treated as yard waste. If you want more info, call your town or even check out a nifty tool at Earth911.com, an environmental services company that allows you to search for places to recycle Christmas trees.