In this issue of ET TU for You! we’ve packed in a whole lot! First, we’re going to take a little tour around the world to look at how other cultures celebrate the holidays. We’ll explore some of the special traditions they have and, of course, what they eat. Maybe you’ll even find a new special holiday custom or menu item to add to your family’s traditions

When it comes to passing along family traditions, there’s no better way to make your memories come alive than with photographs. Capturing the perfect moments can sometimes be tricky, but with the right equipment and a few little tips, anyone can take photos like a pro.

All this and more is waiting for you in this issue of ET TU for You!

After all the food is enjoyed, after all the gifts are unwrapped and after all the fun is done for the holiday season wouldn’t it be great to be able to relive the joy and happiness with an album full of pictures? Capturing perfect holiday moments and memories is easy when you have the right equipment and you follow a few simple tips.

Cameras are loaded down with so many features they can do just about everything but cook your Christmas turkey! That’s why it’s so important to make the right choice when deciding on a camera. Choosing the right camera is all about giving some thought to what type of pictures you will be taking, where you will be taking them and what you will be doing with them after you snap the shot. Here are some features that you will see when camera shopping and what they should mean to you:

Optical view finder/LCD screen
The optical view finder is the small window usually to the top and right of the camera where you look when taking a picture. The LCD screen is the large display screen on the back of a digital camera. Make sure that your camera has both of these features. Some lower priced cameras have only an LCD screen and this can make it difficult to see the screen when there is a lot of natural light such as outside in the daytime.

Megapixels
Don’t get caught up in the megapixel wars. More megapixels won’t necessarily mean better pictures. Where a higher megapixel count will play a role is if you think you may want to blow up an image to a very large size – say a poster. For the average 3”x5” photo, you won’t see much of a difference by above 2 megapixels. For 8x10 prints, consider 4-6 megapixels for the best resolution.

Zoom capabilities
When considering digital cameras with a zoom lens, look at the optical zoom distance and don’t be too concerned about the digital zoom. Digital zoom uses software to adjust an image and may result in lower image quality.

No “cheese” please
Today, pictures are more about candid shots and capturing a moment in time than they are about having everyone in the picture smile on cue. Here are some tips to make sure you don’t miss a minute of memories.

Always keep your camera with you. You never know when that perfect moment will happen. For serious candid shots, keep your distance and use your zoom. Play with perspective – stand at the top of the staircase and take an all-encompassing view of your gathering, or get down on the floor to see how the world looks to the young children in your family. Build a story – make sure to take lots of pictures throughout your family gathering, from people entering your home to finishing up their dessert, so you can have a chronological history of the entire event.

Give the gift of memories
When picking out the perfect gift for a grandmother, aunt or favourite cousin, consider one of the many photo gift options available through photography retail stores and online. You can now add photos to everything from calendars to jewellery making these items personal and memorable.

ET TU Salad Kits are a Canadian tradition. They began in 1989 and we’ve been making our products in Markham, Ontario, just north of Toronto ever since. While we originally created the concept of ET TU, our best ideas have been inspired by talking to people who use our salad and dessert kits. And, this is where we can use your help.

If you live in the GTA and would be willing to come to our Markham location to discuss our current and future products, we’d love to hear from you. Please send us a note and we’ll follow up with you in a few weeks. Whether you’re able to participate or not, we always appreciate any and all feedback, so don’t hesitate to send us your thoughts and ideas about
ET TU products.