“Just Making Sure” . . . Why Christmas Cards Matter
“Just Making Sure” . . . Why Christmas Cards Matter
There was a greeting card some years ago, which showed Winnie the Pooh and Piglet walking together holding hands.
“I just wanted to be sure of you.”
With the holidays right around the corner, for some, like me, it means creating the Annual Letter.
Many love to get them; others refuse to read one because it seems “mass-produced”. My niece, Sharon is unbelievably creative. She is the queen of finding unusual themes or a new way to tell the current year’s sequel to their story with a twist. She never fails to impress me and I can’t wait to see what she puts together each year from Washington.
Then there’s my nephew, Steve, who seems naturally reserved when we are together, yet he volunteers to take on the annual letter-writing role. This probably is a relief to his wife who is the decorator, baker, and entertainer extraordinaire of the season. When his letter arrives, it is tender, loving, thoughtful and picturesque. The smells, sounds and cozy feelings it evokes puts you right in Canada with them, preparing for the season.
I have another niece, Lecia, who is a total comedienne. Tongue in cheek, she recounts the year filled with the school and sports antics of their girls. We chuckle as we walk through the highlights of their precious life, even though Ohio is far, far away and they are growing up out of sight. They make sure to include a picture of the crew, so we see how they have grown.
For me, the holidays barrel up to the door long before I am quite ready. I work two jobs and take the second as it presents itself, which hardly ever seems to be the opportune time. Subsequently, my heart is thinking about what I will and won’t include long before I actually begin to write.
First, I save last year’s cards and letters and look them over. I re-read and think about the year for these friends and family. Some envelopes were returned because of a death. Others have lost a precious family member or pet during the year. Some have had a birth. Some have relocated and I won’t know where to send our greeting unless we hear from them first.
What to write? Do I include every sad and miserable thing we dealt with during the year? No. Do I include mistakes, poor judgment, reasons for lost sleep? Not usually. I try to find the good, the uplifting, the positive and the overcoming moments. I do try to include the present state of our health, jobs, and immediate family. I give a snippet of our activities and what our lives looked like this year. Once printed, I hand-write something very brief but personal to the recipient.
Is the annual letter a chore? Only a little bit. Is it expensive? Heck of a lot more so than it used to be. Is it worth it? Oh, yes, yes, yes! The email blasts that some now do are fine and certainly more affordable. I still love the idea of my loved ones going to the mail box and getting a colorful card and our letter and photos after tearing open a real envelope.
To me, it is exactly like reaching out to take their hand, just like Pooh. Then, as we walk together down the road of 2012, holding hands tightly, I am saying “I just wanted to be sure of you.”
So, where do YOU stand on the issue of the Annual Letter?
Perhaps you don’t send cards at all. If not, do you still like to receive them?
How do YOU “make sure” of those you love who are too far away to hug?
32 Comments
Anne,
To create or not to create, it is the age old holiday question when it comes to family letters isn’t it. I’m neither here nor there when it comes to the topic. If you do one great if you do not that is OK to. The trick to creating them is straddling that line of giving information with out being conceited or boastful. I have received some that sound like the kids in the family are part of the second coming… In this day in age with social media, your Facebook page basically is your daily holiday letter but it is always nice in my book to walk to the mail box and get that card! Lets hope that tradition never leaves us.
Chuck
Chuck
I would imagine that if the holiday letter came from your house, Loretta would be the one to do it, with your busy schedule.
The younger generation definitely connect with their friends waaaayyyy more through the social media, so there is nothing left unsaid.
In our case we have family across the country and in Canada and lingering friendships in several former locations. It is the time to catch up for our family.
So, one of these years I need to send you to your mailbox even though I see you every day. Maybe I will just do that.
Hugs
Anne
Anne,
I enjoyed reading your blog. Thanks for sharing with me.
Joel
Joel
Thank you so much for reading. If you ever have time, I have many others in previous months. Give your mama, wife and kidlets a hug from Anne.
Merry Christmas!
Love
Anne
Anne, what a wonderful reminder of how much we enjoy others’ annual letters- I love them! I look forward to reading about the events of the year & how friends & family are doing. I especially love the one my brother-in-law writes. Thank you for the reminder! XOXOX Carrie
Carrie
Great! One more for the letters. You have family away from you, too. Those cards and letters from afar are a treasure. There are less than in the past that come, but every one is savored.
Thanks for reading and posting in this week so filled with helping and caring for so very many families. I know they are blessed to have you helping them, but I didn’t think you would even have a second to read my blog.
Love you
Anne
I enjoy sending Christmas cards each year it puts me in the mood for the season. I enjoy receiving them even more. Usually everyone just writes a line or two letting you know everything is fine and hope the same with you. There may be one or two that sends a letter letting you know what has happenned since the last Christmas. These are great to receive. I never send a letter because truly nothing really important happens in my life. Merry Christmas everyone!
Marianne
Welcome to my blog! I appreciated your comments. I have another plus for the real snail mail Christmas Card and letter. You are like my friend. She says the same thing: Nothing ever happens, so I don’t write.
Probably not so much a true statement as not being one to write about yourself. Like Chuck intimated above, you don’t want to be tooting your own horn and figure your established routines don’t change as much as some so it is not flamboyant enough to write about. Probably, however you decide to communicate is appreciated by those who love you and just “want to be sure of you!”
Hugs and Merry Christmas back!
Anne
Anne,
I love this blog. It makes me more excited to send out Christmas cards this year than I have been in years past. They tend to overwhelm me I think partially because they always overwhelmed my mom. We have boxes still sitting in the garage from Christmas’ past of cards unsent. Pretty sad, the sentiment was there but it’s a lot of work.
This year I’ve decided to just send out about 20 cards to close friends & family. I picked out a box and brought it home the other day only to open it and realize it said “Season’s Greetings” instead of “Merry Christmas” – when I went back to exchange them I was even sadder to see that none of the cards even said Merry Christmas inside – everyone is too afraid of it. – But I’m not!
I’m excited to personalize these & write my little notes to my loved ones. Thank you for painting this annual duty in tones of joy & excitement rather than burden & difficulty.
Merry Christmas!