CHRISTMAS CARDS

I love Christmas. I love Christmas cards. With or without pictures.

I even love Christmas letters, no matter the type: Kid/family Informational, religious, Farmer’s Almanac excerpts – even the bragging ones about Junior’s GPA.

As an aside, I never liked that kid.

We have friends skipping the Christmas rush, sending a Valentine’s or St. Patrick’s Day card, which also works. Arbor Day cards not so much.

We got another bunch of cards today – one with a hand-written Happy Holidays note, a couple with pictures without names or ages of the pictured, and several pictures with the grandkid’s names and ages.

And everyone looks so happy – don’t you wonder what’s really going on with them?

Our card this year was a picture of our entire family, but no names or ages – we’re a bit concerned about identity theft, so there’s that.

Unfortunately, our picture without an accompanying letter, the first time since 1989. It’s been a topic of ‘discussion’ for a few years, the most common reaction to the family request for annual draft comments “Are you still sending that?”

It takes a while to get the letter written. The envelopes addressed, stamps added, and picture inserted – just waiting. And waiting.  

And waiting.   

But several – well, maybe two or three – eagerly await the letter. In hindsight, I guess we could have put in the 2022 version to see if they were paying attention.

Which we did for a few years in the 2010s…

My Captor gave me a deadline but with the government shutdown, I didn’t get ‘er done.  

But watch this post, there might be a surprise coming…

We were just with our daughter, who gets a LOT more cards than us, with parents swapped for the grandparents who appear in our stack.

Though in today’s world of “that could be a boy or girl’s name” – Whitley, Cameron, Tanner, you get the drift – a M or F with the ‘name (age)’ would be helpful.

Reminding of a story from My Captor’s childhood: Their ‘sort of’ family friends – people they rarely saw, but exchanged cards with – who in the Catholic tradition dropped a baby every year. Again, the wife was pictured pregnant, and they waited until the next year to see what the baby was wearing – pink or blue? – eh, yellow.

And the kid’s name was Carter. He was 11 before they knew he was a he.

I love Christmas lights too, my morning job flipping them all on, even the front porch. But if no one passes by to see them, are they really lit?

The other consideration: Is your card inscription Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday?

A related question: Do you say Merry Christmas to complete strangers?

It feels like the politically correct fog has lifted, and it’s OK to say Merry Christmas to anybody – I’m waiting for the season to be renamed Merry TrumpMas…

Or do you say Happy New Year? What if the recipient is depressed and finds that presumptuous – who are you to worry about my happiness? Which is why I say “Have a day” to everyone.

Christmas is expensive, though. That’s why I’ve put a Salvation Army bucket at the end of my driveway.

Those buckets are everywhere – despite having donated the little cash you carry, don’t you still feel cheap walking past the bell ringer? That’s why I’ve added a card processing machine on my bucket.

All that aside, Christmas cards, saying Merry Christmas (or even Happy Holidays), finding the right gifts, are what the season is all about: Human connections, with friends and family. And even strangers.

All united around our gratitude for the ultimate gift…

ENHANCE YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THIS POST, PAIR WITH THE FOLLOWING ‘AGING HIPSTER READING’:

Last call for a great Christmas gift idea: I have two – yes, two -books out:

QUEENIE AND PA: ADVENTURES IN GRANDPARENTING… And Other Topics

BEERS AT THE NIFTY 2024

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