Joyeux Noël 2019 | Hozenji Temple | Osaka, Japan

Every year, Markus and I travel somewhere and take a photo that will ultimately be our holiday card. This year, we traveled to Japan and I wanted to get a photo of us in front of Mt. Fuji. Usually, Markus and I just set up a tripod and take the photo ourselves, but this year, I didn’t want to risk it. Unfortunately that didn’t work out, but I’ll post more about that later. As a backup, I booked a photography session in Osaka with Manu Akamatsu and thank goodness I did. Markus and I had a great time with Manu and he took so many great photos of us, which I will post more of later.

It was hard to pick one photo, but we loved everything about this photo at Hozenji Temple. This temple can be found in the heart of Namba and is not too far from the popular Dotonbori area. The small temple dates back to 1637 and was actually a bit larger than it is today. Manu told us that people usually make a wish at the moss covered statue, Mizukake-Fudo, and then splash water on it. Apparently a woman did this 80 years ago and her wish came true. Markus and I both made wishes, so lets see if it comes true in 2020!

Happy holidays my dear readers. I hope you have a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year!

Joyeux Noël 2018 | Nyhavn | Copenhagen, Denmark

I honestly cannot believe that we’re only eight days away from Christmas. I’m not going to lie, 2018 has been a rough and difficult year and I’m just ready for 2019. Despite the tough trials and challenges, there were still some really great memories. Out trip to Scandinavia couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. July was a rough month, so a trip right at the end of August was perfect.

For our annual Christmas photo, we had three cities full of great spots to choose from, but we ultimately chose Nyhavn in Copenhagen. We scoped it out the day before and were immediately blown away by the iconic colorful buildings. The next morning, we woke up really early to avoid the crowds, headed out in our matching crane shirts and found the perfect spot. I didn’t think we would top our photo at Château de Boucéel last year, but I think we did. Anyway dear friends, I hope you have a Happy Christmas and a spectacular New Year!

Joyeux Noël 2017 | Château de Boucéel, France

It's Christmas time again my dear friends! It's crazy how fast the years keep going. I feel like I just sent out last year's card. Everyone loved last year's photo and have to admit, I felt the pressure for this year. On a whim, I asked Markus to bring the tripod just in case we came across an amazing setting. We took a two week road trip through various French cities and only ended up using the tripod once when we stayed at Château de Boucéel. Of all the fantastic places we stayed, this château was my favorite. It's been in the same family for centuries and is still run by the count and his family. I'll be writing a more in depth post about our experience, but I wanted to share this year's Christmas card photo. Joyeux Noël dear readers and have a happy new year! 

Joyeux Noël 2016 | Chicago, Illinois

For the past two years, Markus and I have sent out Christmas cards from some of our travels. The first year was from the woods of Michigan at this quaint bed and breakfast. I loved that photo and was worried that the next year wouldn't be as good. Thankfully, Markus and I went to Iceland last year and took an awesome photo at Jökulsárlón, Iceland's Glacier Lagoon. Since our apartment was featured in Apartment Therapy this year, I thought it would be nice to showcase some of our favorite pieces in our home. All of the pieces are vintage and most of them are from our favorite shop in Chicago, Vintage Quest. I was really pleased with how the photo turned out and I'm already thinking of what next year's photo will be! I hope all of you have a Happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year! 

Joyeux Noël 2015 | Glacier Lagoon Edition | Jökulsárlón, Iceland

Last year, Markus and I sent out our first ever holiday postcard. It was a huge hit and I wanted to continue the tradition this year. Even though Markus and I had some wonderful professional photos taken for our 10 year wedding anniversary, they didn't scream Christmas. Before we went to Iceland, I researched a few areas and found the perfect location: Jökulsárlón, the glacier lagoon in Southern Iceland. 

Jökulsárlón is absolutely incredible and one of my favorite places in Iceland. I've never seen anything like it and it took my breath away. I remember as the glaciers started to pop up on the side of the highway, I gasped so loud that it startled Markus. We were supposed to be able to go on boat tour and see the glaciers up close and personal, but the tour was cancelled. I was disappointed, but it gave us more time to find the perfect spot for our holiday card. I could write paragraphs about how beautiful the place was, but I think the photos would be a much better representation! I definitely recommend listening to "Hoppípolla" by Sigur Rós while you peruse the photos below! 

Also, Happy Holidays dear readers! Thank you for following my adventures this year and I truly appreciate all of you. It still boggles my mind that people are interested in our travels. I can't wait to see what 2016 will bring and to share them with you!