Note: we are republishing this photo which originally made the news in December 2024.

A holiday card photo taken by a U.S.-based influencer is sparking heated debate on social media after a hidden prank left many viewers divided—some calling it “nasty,” while others applauded the family’s sense of humor.

Getting the perfect family photo for the holidays is never easy. Coordinating everyone’s schedule, aligning outfits, and arranging family members for the perfect shot are tasks that often feel like a monumental challenge. Once everyone’s in position, there’s the added pressure of hoping for smiles and avoiding any awkward moments. But for one influencer, the effort to capture the perfect image didn’t stop at the photo’s composition—it involved a little surprise.

Amanda Cooper holding her husband smiling in front of a body of water, Photo Credit: amandak_cooper/Instagram
Amanda Cooper holding her husband smiling in front of a body of water, Photo Credit: amandak_cooper/Instagram
Amanda Cooper, a fashion and travel influencer with more than 15,000 followers on Instagram, shared an annual holiday tradition in a post that has since gone viral. Every year, Cooper’s mother, Melynda King, meticulously organizes a family photo shoot. This year, however, Cooper and her siblings decided to pull a prank. They staged the joke in such a way that even their mother didn’t initially catch on.