I can’t remember the first Christmas cards I sent or received. If I had to guess I would say that either had to involve a grandmother. With all the moving we did when I was a child I can’t imagine anyone except one of my grandmothers keeping up with us. I still have a few cards saved that were written by my grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. However, the majority of the cards I’ve received over the years have been from friends. The majority I’ve sent have been to friends. Perhaps that’s why my favorite holiday movie is “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
By the way, my VHS copy of “It’s a Wonderful Life” broke this year and my sweet hubby bought me a DVD of it. I don’t think he even likes the movie, but he knows how much it means to me. I watch it every year, and each year it reminds me that friendship is more important than money or position.
When I was younger I sent cards to everyone we knew. That included friends, acquaintances, business associates, church members, former church members, and relatives. Our Christmas card list once included nearly 400 people! But over the years we have lost touch with some people. We’ve stopped corresponding with others. A few friends and relatives have died. I hand deliver many cards. The list has diminished and I now send out about 40 cards. We receive about 40-50. I treasure each and every one!
Christmas cards let me know that people still care. They are a sign that everything is okay and the person sending the card is well enough and happy enough to keep in touch. And I love keeping in touch! I love personal notes. I love hearing about their children and travels and travails. Which leads me to the “Holiday Letter”.
Now I know you’ve all received the HOLIDAY LETTER that everyone complains about. It’s the one that tells about all the promotions and raises and the trips to Fiji. The writer’s children are perfect and their job is perfect. Even the dog is perfect. It’s the letter that makes a point of saying I’M THE BEST. Well if you are friends with someone like that, then you deserve the letter! J I personally don’t care what a person chooses to write about. I just like the letters. I’ve gotten funny ones, bragging ones, sappy ones, sad ones. Keep them coming! I even save most of them.
If you don’t get a card from us this year, I’m sorry. Consider my blog your year-round card! I do hope that with the increased use of the internet people don’t stop sending paper cards. However, I receive some email cards and I don’t object to them. I read one of those “Dear Abby” kind of letters about a man who was very angry because he lived with his daughter and some people addressed cards to both of them, instead of sending one to him individually. My message to him is GET OVER IT! Let’s not spend this celebration of our Lord’s birth being nit-picky about who sends a card or how they send it. Let’s just enjoy the season and praise God for our friends! Now go check your mailbox!
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