With Christmastime in the air, and holiday fetes galore, there’s no more perfect a time to indulge in the simple pleasures of old fashioned, instant Polaroid photography.

I love the old fashioned clunky camera, with its off-center viewfinder and enigmatic ability to induce instant nostalgia.  The flat, soft-edged images capture unanticipated nuances of each moment. Every image remains forever suspended amidst a magical je ne sais quoi fuzzy glow.

My fireplace mantle is decorated with a scattering of instant film shots.  They were taken at birthdays and holidays, and during silly, spontaneous moments when the camera was handy.  A pure and perfect blend of serendipity and purposefulness, the instantaneous Polaroid picture is a remnant of a dedicated craft and deliberately captured moment.

With each click of the shutter, the camera produces a symmetrical, beautiful piece of history, a miniature piece of art, a memento, a story of a thousand words, an artifact, a decoration and a perfect curio, most especially when set against the backdrop and twinkle of Christmastime cheer.

- lauren