There are a few traditions we have at Christmastime that everyone in our family really loves. Our family nativity photo shoot was such a hit the first year that we did it twice.

The second year, the kids were less enthusiastic, but willing.

This year, I put it off for weeks.

I was afraid One would refuse. Or something else would go wrong. The idea of gathering and coordinating costumes for everyone is a little intimidating. Getting costumes together and helping each person choose who will depict who is a delicate dance between filling all the spots and making sure everyone is satisfied.

We didn’t decorate our tree, and I wrapped the gifts in pillowcases. After the Christmas baking and traveling were done, there weren’t really any other excuses, but I still put it off.

When I decided today was going to finally be the day we did the photo shoot, I was hoping for the best, but prepared for everything to go wrong.

It felt like everything did go wrong.My lone shepherd nearly revolted, convinced the robe made him look fat and disappointed that shepherds weren’t more stylish. Mary couldn’t stop giggling. One of my wisemen kept flopping around and Joseph wouldn’t remove his earbuds or put his cell phone away.

Don’t get me started on Baby Jesus. He didn’t want to take off his zebra costume for the photo shoot, then he wouldn’t sit in the middle where I wanted him. Only two kids did what I asked during the shoot. The group gave me about five minutes to take my photos before they started to disperse. This was five minutes from when everyone was ready, except the baby. He flatly refused to do anything I asked, even when I offered him candy.

I digitally removed the earbuds from most of the photos later, but the cell phone is visible in many of them. At least no one was doing zombie eyes at the camera.I thought last year was the last year I’d be able to have the baby be Baby Jesus. In that respect, today was a win. I got one more year out of our sweet munchkin before we have to switch to a doll.

And maybe next year will be easier – it will almost certainly be the last year I can easily include all my kids, since One turns 18 (EIGHTEEN!!) next January, and will graduate from high school that spring. This year’s photo shoot felt pretty forced. I didn’t have enough candy to properly bribe my subjects, and they didn’t have any of the enthusiasm of years past.

On the bright side, I did manage to get a couple of serviceable photos. And since down in my heart I already knew it would be bad, I wasn’t really expecting too much. Sometimes, family photos are just about getting everyone together in one shot, and that? We did it.

All seven kids are in all of the photos. Can you find them all?