30 Christmas photo dump ideas

December gives you more to photograph than any other month, which is exactly why Christmas dumps end up as forty near-identical tree photos. Use these 30 ideas as a shot list through the month, then pick 8 to 12 for the post.

Got the photos already? Jump to the 100 Christmas captions.

Christmas lights and decoration ideas

Decorations are the obvious slide, so shoot them in a way nobody else does: close, blurred or in reflections.

1. The tree, out of focus — tap to focus on something close and let the lights turn into soft circles.
2. One ornament up close — the old one with a story beats a wide shot of the whole tree.
3. Lights in a window from outside — your own home, seen from the street at night.
4. Reflections — fairy lights in a glass, a mirror or a puddle.
5. The decorating mess — boxes, tangled lights, a cat in the tissue paper.
6. Your street or town lit up — one wide shot that says where you spent December.

Christmas food and baking dump ideas

Food photos work best mid-process, with hands and flour in the frame.

7. Hands in the dough — flour on the counter, sleeves rolled up.
8. The cookie tray — including the burnt one.
9. A recipe card in someone's handwriting — one of the most personal slides you can add.
10. The table before everyone sits — from above, candles lit.
11. A warm drink in cold hands — hot chocolate, mulled wine, tea by the window.
12. Leftovers the next morning — the honest, funny food slide.

Family and tradition photo dump ideas

Traditions are what make your dump different from everyone else's. Shoot the ones only your family does.

13. Your family's odd tradition — the game, the walk, the song nobody else knows.
14. Matching pajamas, mid-laugh — skip the posed version.
15. The kids' table — or the adults who still sit at it.
16. Gift exchange reactions — faces, not presents.
17. Someone asleep on the sofa — the post-lunch classic.
18. The family photo outtake — the one before everyone was ready.

Winter and outdoor Christmas dump ideas

Getting outside gives a December dump its wide shots and its air.

19. A Christmas market stall — steam, lights and something sweet.
20. Breath in the cold air — best against a dark background.
21. Boots in snow, or on wet leaves — December looks different everywhere; show yours.
22. The walk after lunch — the family from behind, heading somewhere.
23. Ice skating, slightly blurred — motion is the point.
24. A beach Christmas — if it's summer where you are, lean into it: hats, sand, a tiny tree.

Christmas morning photo dump ideas

The morning goes fast. Have your phone ready before the first present is opened.

25. Presents under the tree, untouched — the calm before.
26. Stockings in morning light — a quiet, textured slide.
27. Wrapping paper everywhere — the after shot, from above.
28. The first coffee of the day — in the mug you only use in December.
29. A pet with a bow on — hard to get wrong.
30. The quiet evening — candles, a film on, everyone tired.

How to order a Christmas photo dump

Lead with light, follow the month or the day, and end on something warm or funny.

1. Open with your best lights photo.It reads as Christmas instantly in the feed.
2. Choose a frame: the month, or the day.A December recap runs from the first decorations to the last leftovers; a Christmas Day dump runs from morning to night.
3. Alternate close and wide.An ornament, then the room; hands in dough, then the full table.
4. Show people, not just things.One candid of each person matters more than ten decoration shots.
5. End warm or funny.Someone asleep on the sofa, or the dog in a bow.
6. Keep it to 8 to 12 slides.Instagram allows up to 20; save the longer version for your year in review.

Next stop: New Year photo dump captions for the countdown, and the year in review guide for the whole year in one post.

Frequently asked questions

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