As far back as I can remember my mother has been the one who has taken on the task of preserving our family memories through photography. She is the person in our family who always initiates the group photo. All the major events throughout the years have been recorded through her lens, and Christmas time is no exception. Each year she is the one who organizes our family holiday card, making sure to be the one who yields the camera and creates the images. Around Christmas time there is a guaranteed moment where my siblings and I are forced to get up close and personal, stay still, and smile big. My mother is the person who continues to hold my immediate and extended family together through her imagery.

There is no particular family tradition of seeing my grandparents, cousins, or distant relatives. Each year there seemed to be familiar faces coming in around the holidays, but those faces changed from one year to the next. At times we would go explore my cousin’s home not too far from where we lived in north-west New Jersey. In other years we would stay in and spend time with our chosen family and closest friends. Amidst these alternating people coming around the holiday season, one thing was guaranteed; my mother would be there with her camera prepared to harness the essence of what it meant to be a part of our family during the holiday season.

I distinctly recall one year my great-grandmother came to our house to celebrate Christmas with us. Growing up in a family of four children, my parents would often get a gift for all of us to share. This particular year, I remember sneaking down the stairs to catch a glimpse at the many presents we were about to receive. To my surprise, there was a massive foosball table in the middle of our living room. My heart began to race and I rushed to my little sister’s room to tell her the great news. She was so excited to play one of our favorite games together and we went to investigate further. As we journeyed down the stars my great-grandmother was already there waiting for us with a smile on her face. Before my little sister had a chance, great-grandma challenged me to the first match in the history of our very own foosball table. We began causing a commotion as we engaged in a heated battle, and my mother came down to us having the time of our lives. That is when she snapped this picture of my grandmother and me in the middle of our contest. I thought I had a good chance of beating a woman who was well into her 90s, but in the end, she took home bragging rights to our first match.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, my mother continued to spread Christmas cheer, all while capturing the experience. One of her biggest passions is spreading love and making sure all of her family feels appreciated. During this unprecedented time, she set out to deliver gifts and a great meal safely to our family, which is what she did in this image. My aunt was immune compromised after many years battling cancer, and my mother made sure she felt an abundance of joy during this particular holiday season. She showed up at her front door with gifts and a homemade holiday meal for my aunt and uncle to indulge in. Of course, she had to document this experience and caught my aunt smiling from cheek to cheek.

As the years have continued and image technology has advanced from analog point-and-shoot into the digital age my mother has adapted. She still corrals us at least once a year for our annual Cuccio Christmas photo, but she also has grown to love the minute details found during the holiday season. Her images can encapsulate the calm before the storm that is the minutes before we serve our big holiday dinner. She loves to record our familial history, and now has that ability at her fingertips anytime she pleases through her phone. Her passion for image-making is the gift that continues to inspire me not just during each holiday season, but all year round. I am eternally grateful for all the times she photographed my family. I know I would not have such a deep love for photography if I hadn’t been gifted the greatest mother in the world. Thanks Mom!

Dec 24 Capturing Christmas

Dec 25 Christmas in California

Dec 23 Gala Del Sol

Related Posts