Christmas Cards are Ringing

A week or so ago I read an article my friend Kat wrote about sending and receiving holiday cards. And gosh darnit, my black no-time-for-cards-this-year heart grew two and two-thirds sizes that day. She's right, you know. ("I send out Christmas cards to slow things down. I send them to keep the frenzy of the season at bay. I send them to remind myself of all of the good around me.")

So, I'm pulling up my Santa pants and putting together a Christmas card to send out this year. It might not be super fancy and the photo might be taken from our iPhone, but it's going to send out a little physical reminder of our love to those we care about most.

Here was our Christmas card from way back in 2013:

My mother-in-law didn't think it was funny, because she called my husband asking why he didn't tell her that we were having another baby. Sometimes my humor borders on cruelty, it seems. And hey, I had bleached hair! Those were some good times.

This year, I want to play a fun Christmas/holiday card game. Send me your Christmas card! That's it. Just send me a card. Isn't that fun?

Jk. Send me a card, yes. But then I will pick ten (maybe more) cards to win stuff. I already have some great prizes, like free Apple Music, Thread Wallets, Kids are the Worst shirts, treats, and more! My kids and I will pick ones that we think are funny, or pretty, or simple, or rad, or with girls that my boys think are cute, or just a random winner because it came to us on a Thursday.

You know you have an extra card hanging around, so what do you have to lose? And I will feature them on Instagram Stories--maybe even put a few up for popular vote to win something. There are no straight rules, because this is a fun, new game spreading fun, new cheer to fun, new friends. You can send a Hallmark card, for all I care. Or a card you had from 2013.

Send your cards to:

Anna c/o Things Are the Worst
PO Box 521048
Salt Lake City, UT 84152-1048

Maybe the first card I get wins something fun. So, hurry! Send me your cards. And add your Instagram handle somewhere on the back of the card so I can find you there, too.

Any questions?

Holiday Lip Sync Battle? YES PLEASE!

When I was eight years old, I would sit in the back of my Mom’s Suburban with a ballpoint pen in hand (my microphone, obviously) and lip sync to whatever was playing on the radio. I was CONVINCED that those in the cars next to us must have thought that I was RECORDING the music right then and there. They must have been so impressed.

Thanks to Jimmy Fallon bringing lip syncing back (yup!), millions of us can once again wield our “microphones” and lip sync without fear of embarrassment. 

Since I love holiday music and lip syncing and YOU love holiday music and lip syncing, I think it only makes sense to have a Holiday Lip Sync Battle. Yes? Yes!

Check out those battling HERE!

Here is how to enter:
1. Record a holiday lip sync—use any format, any amount of people, and however you want. I chose to use musical.ly, but you can record your lip sync however you like. Song must be HOLIDAY, so think Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years, SNOW, even.

2. Post a NEW video to Instagram—It must be posted from today (December 11) to the last day of battle (December 18). Your account must be set to public. I understand the need for private accounts, but for this battle, it is only fair to have all accounts be public. You can post more than once. 

3. Use the hashtag #TheWorstHolidayLipSyncBattle and tag both @kidsaretheworst and @thingsaretheworst in the CAPTION of your video. Not the comments, not a DM, but in the caption. 

4. Check out the hashtag and cheer on your fellow lip sync battlers with positive comments and likes. Spread the lip sync love!

But, Anna, what do I win?

Oh, dear friends, it wouldn’t be the holidays without a gift or two. And I am offering TEN winners a gift… or two. Shazam!

The first gift is what all holidays are chock-full of and that is THE REGIFT. Straight from my home to you, I will mail you a gift currently in my home. Who needs an ugly Christmas sweater when you can have an all-year ugly sweater that I have worn two times and decided it isn’t my color? Boom! Or how about that water belt I got when I was training for a marathon and then decided I didn’t want to run anymore so I never used it? Bam! Maybe you will win the box of popsicle molds that I meant to give my sister and forgot. Blammo! 

Who knows what you’ll win? Isn’t that so exciting? Isn’t that what the holidays are really about? I am excited to match my regifts to your videos.

And the second gift is legitimately cool: @babylitbooks is generously sending all ten winners a specially-made gift box with a tote, book, puzzle and ABC stroller cards. The BabyLit books have been a New York Times bestseller and are wildly popular.

Give it to your child, bring it as the best gift at the next baby shower, or if you are like me KEEP THEM for yourself because they are so adorable.

Winners will be announced December 21. Get lip syncing!

Boards that kick!

We are doing one of the most delightful giveaways with a really stellar company, Micro Kickboards! When we first got our Micro scooters, my kids weren't sure about the two wheels in the front and the different steering. But after about three laps around the kitchen island, they were all sold. These scooters are the real deal. Even our neighbor kids tried them out and loved them. I got texts from mothers asking what kind of scooter their kids were saying were so much faster and cooler than the ones they have.

I thought about getting some Micro kickboards for my kids last Christmas and I don't know why I changed my mind, because they would have been so stoked getting these scooters. And they come in a ton of colors. My kids chose red, orange, neon yellow, and blue, and honestly, they all wish they would have picked the neon yellow now. It's the coolest color. 

Would you like to win a scooter? Ok. We are giving away two Micro Kickboards! Choose between a (Mini or Maxi) or a Mini2Go (have you seen these? Sit-on scooters for the tiny people that convert to scooters as they grow! genius!) simply by following @kidsaretheworst and @microkickboards on Instagram, liking the Micro Kickboard photo and tagging a friend. (Real friends only, btw. If you tag a celebrity or an account that has a ton of followers because nobody will know... guess what? I will know and you will be disqualified. Which always bums me out. I want everyone to have a chance.) So tag a friend or two or seven. Win a Micro scooter or Mini2Go and win at parenting.

Make trick or treating FASTER with a Micro. My kids are going to get so much candy this year with their Micro scooters. I can't wait!

All photos and videos by the talented Angie Monson of Simplicity Photography. If you are a photographer, you need to check out her photoshop and card templates and instructional videos. Girl is a genius. 

Good luck!