I mailed out my Christmas cards today.
I felt a little old fashioned standing in line at the post office, stack of cards in hand, waiting for my turn to buy Christmas stamps. I bought the ornament stamps, BTW. It seems that in this day and age, fewer and fewer people are sending out cards.
I remember sending out cards the very first year that I had moved out of my Mom's house. It seemed a right of passage. I was a grown up now, in my eyes at least, so I was sending out my very own slice of Christmas cheer.
I used to endlessly scour the stores to pick out the exact card that I thought personified who I was. And even though what personified me changed each year, I just knew THE cards when I found them.
I would sit down on the floor in front of my coffee table, new pen in hand (had to be a new pen), cold beer hot chocolate in front of me and write out my cards. And not just sign them, actually write a little holiday blurb in each one specific to the intended recipient.
To say I used to enjoy Christmas card writing immensely would be an understatement. To say I am a little bit of a dork about all things Christmas related would also be an understatement.
Now it seems that more and more people are doing away with sending out cards. Not sending them altogether or sending ecards instead. To me, opening an ecard is just not the same as opening up a paper card from someone. There's something about the anticipation of seeing the cards come in the mail, opening the envelope, catching a glimpse of the pretty scenes on the front and reading the message tucked away inside the card.
Clicking, reading and having a giant dog wearing a Santa hat tap dance across your computer screen is just not the same.
But with today's new fangled technologies, ie Facebook and email, it seems like Christmas cards are not a necessary part of keeping in touch with someone. You don't have to wait all year long to see that their kid got out of braces or they took a vacation to Hawaii. Their life is all in front of us daily, if we choose to accept them as a "friend".
I wonder, if in five years, I will send out cards at all.
Do you still send out Christmas cards?
And why is the snow cat above smoking pipe?
Please feel free to print out any of the images and use in your holiday crafting.
Angelia Christenson
Absolutely....i will admit about five years ago i sent out over fifty cards and only RECEIVED back about 20 so i wrote down who all went to the trouble and stuck with mostly just those the next year with a few extras and new additions to family and friends lists. Gotta take into consideration my mother was married numerous times so i still have step dad's and a few ex step siblings out there and thats the only time we catch up is via cards....then i got married twice (so thats a whole former family with my daughter from the first one to also send out and his mother had eight brothers and sisters when i married him....now there is only three but still) My husband of 27 years now has Jehovahs witness kin way up in Idaho and i did accidentally send them cards the first year because i knew nothing about them but that was corrected politely so that elimated my paw in law and HIS twelve brothers and sisters...ha) EVEN THE PEOPLE im gonna SEE on xmas day or eve or during that week gets cards from me but only about half go to the trouble and i use calligraphy pens for the addressing and return address and an old fashioned wax seal for the back also. This is a nighttime watching good hallmark movie ALONE in my room thing and i enjoy it myself and its done way before the week of xmas to give them a chance to send a return card of course. (i can hope) i had two fireplaces i would string them on way back in the day and didnt hang stockings on the mantels.....then i just bought a sleigh basket eventually. I have a BOOK too i keep on my desk with all the addresses and the past five years of "sent" and "received" pages in them. After a few years of not receiving i just mark thru them ....selfish, maybe a little, but hey, i make time for THEM and spend the money on the nice cards and postage....least they can do. What i HATE is when you send a bunch out and four of them just HAND YOU THEIRS at a gathering....that kinda spoils the fun folks.
Beth L.
I still send out cards!!!!! As I get older though I always feel a bit sad, when going through my list, to see the names of folks that are no longer with us. I still leave them in my card book though as a reminder of them. I like to think of them even though I can't really contact them. I am sure that the folks who now live with their facebook accounts don't see the need. But they are missing out on the thrill of actually getting something in the MAIL.... not just a quickie on the screen. Oh well..... I shall continue. Glad there are a lot of others that still fell that way.
Sherry Mitchell
I also am sending vintage cards . I love them and feel sad that people are not caring about Christmas Tradittions. I still do. Merry Christmas to Everyone 🍃🌹🍃
Evie
How do I print these?