December Daily 2021 MEGAAA thread

14 weeks to go until December 1st! Let's carry on with our "slow cooker" prep for this year's holiday documenting...

Week 3: AUDIT // STORYLINES & PLOTS

1. When looking through your DD albums, what are the main recurring stories you find? Do you notice an emphasis on certain events and/or traditions? Note these down to help you prepare in advance for documenting these same stories again this year. This is a wonderful way to start thinking about product needs before placing your order(s). 

2. Step into the shoes of a storyteller and ask yourself what the main plot(s) of your holiday season is/are. This may seem a little odd at first but to help you document your December month a little differently or more cohesively, take the time to analyse what your end-of-the-year holidays build up to. Is it the gathering of family spread apart across the country? Is it the religious aspect of your holiday of choice? Are you more of a person who enjoys December because it's the celebration of the end of a year and the promise of a new, fresh beginning? Do you perhaps participate in a special event (nativity play, choir/music concert, charity drive, etc.) that is central to your holiday experience? Consider such moments and feelings you build up to as the main plot(s) of your album and try to think of ways you can document about these as storylines running through your album. Instead of simply documenting the charity drive on the day your shift takes place, think about including a snapshot of earlier email exchanges, perhaps special groceries you did a few days before in anticipation of your participation, make place a little later after the "main event" for the thank-you card you've received afterwards. Weave smaller anecdotes into the main storyline to enrichen your memories.

3. Can you identify missing storylines and their protagonists in your previous albums? Are you perhaps wanting to include certain family members more throughout the month? Can you identify a storyline or theme to bring them into your documenting a little more this year? Fun themes include "the month from my pet's POV" where you spend December photographing more regularly your furry companion's way of observing and tentatively assisting you with the holiday preparations and celebrations, "work & play" where you document how your family members are having fun working on projects throughout the month (cooking, decorating the house, shopping for gifts for each other, helping a sibling finish homework before the Christmas break, etc.), "sulking is my favourite" if you have some teenagers in the house who are not so enthusiastic about all things Christmas and family right now (heehee). Give yourself some time here and try to think of strategies to include those who are camera-shy (asking them to play photographer, send you a little paragraph about an event via email, shooting them from a different POV such as from above, standing on a chair, if they're working at the table, and so on). 

Wishing you all loads of fun reminiscing and anticipating the memories to come! 

I'm so torn. The lush and fun PF collection or tartan and woodgrain like I planned originally? Oh great, here we go for several turns and twists as I try to figure it out. I'll be changing my mind about 3 times a day for the next week or so.