Today marks the beginning of a new holiday in which I am sure will catch on … or not.  I hereby declare that January 9 will hence forth be referred to as Tri-Xmas Day.  The premise of this holiday is to photograph personal settings on black and white film throughout the year and then save it all to be developed during the days leading up to Tri-Xmas Day.  And on the 9th, you present your gifts to the world.

For anyone who is too young to know what Tri-X is … Google it.  For everyone else, set down those digital point and shoots that live in your man purses and feminine satchels and replace it with your choice of 35mm camera.  Think small and old.

This year I shot 7 rolls of film.  My film camera came with me throughout my adventures in Vietnam.  Crossed the border into Cambodia. Shared laughs with my family and even witnessed 18,200 feet on Mt. Everest.  I owe a big thanks to my buddy Jeremy Johnson for breaking me into the college darkroom in my home town to syphon off some of the chemicals, not to mention the film scanner.  But it’s all in the name of Tri-Xmas and those I may have to step on to make this holiday successful will surely understand. George Eastman would be proud, I’m sure.

In closing I gift out my creations for Tri-Xmas 2010.  It was truly a good one.  My hands still smell of developer and fixer.  I wish you all the best Tri-Xmas and I look forward to sharing 2011 with you all.