You've got mail

This time of year, I love running out to the mailbox, throwing out the circulars, and scavenging for the Christmas cards. I will say this has been a late card season. Seems like everyone has had a hard time getting them out on time - and I know several people who just aren't doing them this year. I was tempted to not do them myself.

But Why do I love Christmas cards so? I am a real paper kind of person. I like pretty packages and holding something in my hand. It feels more real to me that way. Plus its fun to get something in the mail that is not junk, not a bill, and is hand addressed (not to discredit those of you who have it together and print labels). I save all of my cards from the previous year (to make sure I have reciprocated) and ones even farther back if I like them.

One of my most treasured cards is a presidential Christmas card from George W. the first year he was in office. I have NO IDEA how we got on the list. The only thing I can figure is Mason had given 5 lousy bucks to his campaign a year or two previously and maybe we were drawn in a lottery? I don't know how they do those kinds of things. Anyway, every year I hold on to that card and just sigh. It's on beautiful heavy creme card stock with gold foil embossing and original artwork of a Christmas package sitting on a chair. Sigh. It's very nice. Sigh. I feel like somebody holding that card. (I'm sure it will be a collector's item one day except I don't have the envelope it came in. Oh WHY did I throw away the envelope?)

Silly as it may be, I believe that card may sum up why I like Christmas cards so. Other than being a graphic designer and past philatelist (go look that up now), I appreciate the fact that someone thought of me enough to send a little holiday cheer my way. Granted, George W. didn't know he sent that card to me at all, but I can pretend otherwise.



Here is our family card this year. Like I said before, I almost gave up on it. It was difficult to get a good shot of the very mobile almost 2 year old in our house without a sippy cup or not in trance at curious george (those are about the only times he is still.) If you recall my Christmas card post from last year, these words will sound familiar. I ran out of cards again. So some of you, especially those of you who live in town and see the kids sometimes, probably didn't get a card. I sent them mainly to the family-folk who live out of town or to those who don't have email. So consider yourself thought of with a little holiday cheer pointed in your direction via the world wide web!