Tradition of Sending Christmas cards
Throughout our marriage, we participated in the tradition of sending Christmas cards. I cannot remember at what point I began making the cards, and there were a few photo cards intermittent when the kids were younger,
One of the first homemade cards I distinctly recall was carving a potato in the shape of a snowman and making potato prints in yellow. It was pre-kids.
Before writing this blog, I reviewed some cards I had saved as a reminder. I counted twenty-nine. I am nineteen short of married years. Here are a few saved: A construction paper reindeer whose antlers held a family photo cut into a shape, another family photo of us sitting on a painting of Christmas balls.
One of my favorites had to be an interactive one, which meant the receiver had to cut line A, discard section B, and unfold C to reveal a six-pointed star. Others I had saved were a few designed by our children when they were young. What a treat to see those again!
When the grandchildren came, they, too, were incorporated into the designs. The first little babe was enhanced with a snowflake. Five years later, I cut a photo of three grandchildren to fit the shape of a tree and another, with their smiles peering out of drawn bubble letters to spell J O Y. Now we have four, and I have added another sweet face to this year's design.
With the help of Photoshop, I can reproduce artwork and incorporate photos, which has saved a little time, but not much, because I have to relearn the steps I took the year before.
Over the years, our family has grown, and the cards represent years passing and changing as we all grow older. I also think that when I receive photos of family and friends watching their children grow, marry, and have their children. Holiday cards represent a life journey.
One of our cards, from the nineties, showed a map with states filled in of all the places we have lived. We moved a lot, and in all our adventures, we met new friends, adding to our address book. Christmas cards have a way of connecting us to our past.
Each year, when I go through our address book, sadly, I see names I have erased—those who have deceased. I have lost touch with others, "addressee unknown returned to sender."
However, names are added: nieces and nephews on their own, relatives whose relationships have been rediscovered, and new friends along the way.
Every year, I tell myself I will plan earlier than my usual Pre-Thanksgiving lay awake, thinking about an idea and how to create it. I will mail this year's cards today at the post office; I'm a week behind schedule.
I would love to hear about your tradition of sending your season's greetings.
