Christmas Cards.

I know they are out of vogue, but I still love Christmas cards.  I love sending them.  I love receiving them.  They are the only good thing that comes in my mailbox.  (That is if they come at all, but I think the post office is actually working on that!)  

I take my carding seriously.  It's part of my annual holiday routine and I can't imagine NOT doing so.  In years past, I have tried to cut down on my card sending.  Every year I fail miserably. Ok, maybe I have weeded it down from 75 to 60...is that really culling?  Even with the advent of social media, I still like to send out cards.  

It can be a pain in the you know what, especially with the multitude of obligations we all seem to have as the year wraps up.  But I can't and won't stop.  Let me tell you why.

Sending a holiday card is my way to connecting; of telling friends who I may not get to see or even talk with during the year that they are important to me.  They are important to my family.  I want to take the time out of this crazy time of year and spend a minute or two to get this card and sentiment to them.

For me it is a process.  In the past, my whole family has gone to get a photo taken with "our" Santa.  I would get copies made and send them out with the cards.  In some cases, I had cards where the photo could be inserted as part of the actual card.  In others, I just put a small photo inside.    Sometimes I would run out of photos...sorry to those who didn't get them.  (Embarrassment abounds.)

This year, I gave in and ordered cards online which had our photo pre-printed on it.  (Not a Santa photo, but I did manage to get a family holiday photo.  It took several tries with the camera and the timer, but in the end it worked out...sort of...) It's a bit more expensive than my standard holiday cards with photo inside.  (Especially since over the past several years I've been purchasing them at my local thrift shop.  If you’re looking for cards for any occasion, I HIGHLY recommend doing this!)  But just because they are pre-printed, does NOT mean they will not be personalized.  I write a note on each card.  Each is slightly different.  Just like all of my friends are unique so are my messages; even if they are only a sentence or two.

This is the most important thing for me.  That each and every card has a handwritten note from me.  (I did this even back in the days of yore when social media was nonexistent and I printed out the annual holiday letter.  Although the letters were copies, each one had a handwritten note at the bottom and was signed by me.) 

I don't send cards out of obligation or even tradition (although each may play a part overall).  I send out cards because each person or family that I sent one to is important to me and my family.  In my mind, by handwriting a little note and signing my name, I am sharing a part of myself with you.  You are worth the time.  You are worth hassle.  You are worth the cost.  You ARE part of my life.  We may not see each other.  We may not talk.  You are part of my life and I think of you, especially at this time of year.

Tonight, I will sit down and write out a few more cards.  As I do, I'll enjoy the memories of the people I am writing to.  

If you chose to send out holiday cards, I hope they are as meaningful to you as they are to me.  And if they are NOT, then DON'T do it.  The sending of cards should be part of the joy of the holiday; and if it's not...then there really is no point and you SHOULDN'T feel bad about that.  This is supposed to be the season of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love...let it be so with cards or without.