I love birthday and Christmas cards. I belong to a generation of older folks who love to get mail. I credit my mom for the postal excitement. When we moved to Tucson she left her family in Chicago. In 1949 no one called long distance unless there was a death in the family, so waiting for the mail was the highlight of our day.
Eighty years later there is still a current of excitement in September when I anticipate brightly colored envelopes enclosing sentimental or funny birthday wishes. Oh, but Christmas, that’s a bonanza of cheery red and green envelopes. I read all the return addresses while I wend my way down the driveway. With excitement I read names I might only see once a year.
Then there is the anticipation of opening the card to discover the snowy Christmas scene or baby Jesus and the gang. Maybe there is even the Holiday letter sharing news of new grand baby or great-grand baby, special anniversaries celebrated or vacation photos. It is time to catch up with people we don’t connect with often.
My favorite part of the Christmas season is buying Christmas cards. I never buy the first box of cards, nope, I want to look at several stores, consider all the choices, go home and mull it over. Then I go back to the first store and get the box with the jaunty Santa I loved.
One year I got a great deal on cards after Christmas. Twelve months later the cards didn’t look nearly as cute. I actually held to tradition and went card shopping. Maybe those sale cards will look better next year. My practical side realizes these paper cards are a fleeting joy. Once the card arrives at its destination and sits on the shelf for a few days it will depart to the recycle bin. Sort of sad really. My daughter’s cards are the exception, Tricia sends the nicest cards, my sister and I always save them and use them as part of our Christmas decorations year after year.
Going to the post office is fun if you get there early in the month before everyone is sending packages. I could spend thirty minutes deciding on the perfect stamp to grace my humble Christmas cards. Sorry if you were waiting in line behind me. In the past, stamps were limited to only two choices, religious or Christmas trees. In the last few years there are more choices than ever. It is so hard to decide.
In 1960 when I started sending Christmas cards as an adult, stamps were 4 cents. I sent a lot of Christmas cards because everyone did. There were: grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, all certainly deserving of our jaunty Santa and a 4 cent stamp.
Christmas cards are becoming more difficult to find. I remember when Target had whole aisles full of Holiday cards, last year I had to search for the display and finally found it way back in the corner of the store. The selection wasn’t inspiring, and some of the cards were unusual shapes which is fun, but requires extra postage. What’s with that? It’s Christmas for goodness sakes.
I’m going to blame the shortage of cards on the Internet, we have discovered an easy stress reducer. Simply post a greeting on Facebook, maybe even a family photo, or send those fun e-cards with the snow falling, twinkling Christmas lights and a snapping fire in the fireplace. I love those things. Maybe we have come to the end of the paper card era, but I think it is a little sad.
I worry we might see the demise of the Hallmark store. I always wanted to spend my days in a Hallmark store, almost like Disneyland, it is a happy place full of lovely cards and happy shoppers. Apparently after the holidays it is still full of cards, but no shoppers, as more people switch to the Internet.
Carrie – as usual love your musings.
I so can relate to going out to get the mail and especially during the holidays. At a very young age there was a book of free things you could send away for in the mail. I would write to whomever for whatever they were giving away —simply for self satisfaction that “I” was going to get something in the mail addressed to little ole me. So exciting was I.
What a sweet memory, I wish getting mail today was even half the fun it was then. Thanks for sharing.
After Christmas I put a rubber band around the year’s received cards and write the year on the back. My, how the piles have dwindled. Very small now. But then I don’t send many either. I guess that’s just the way it is. Interesting musing.
It is disappointing when we are getting to the time of our lives that we’d enjoy hearing from people they have stopped sending cards. Time marches on, I guess
Glad you enjoy my cards! I’m the next generation. I go to the mailbox twice a month and hope the mailman didn’t think i moved without telling him. But there is something special about holiday cards that makes everyone smile and feel special.
When I was in high school, I enjoyed writing cards for all those family & friends, that were on my Mother’s Christmas list. She was pleased she didn’t have to do it. I still do like picking out the right card to send to all on my list. It’s nice to keep in touch especially this special time of the year. Sandy
What a fun high school memory. Maybe that is why you manage to find the perfect cards. We always feel special when we get a card from you. We still laugh at the ‘selfie’ from Out of Africa and I hope you recognize the poodle and bulldog from the anniversary card you send us. It is one of our favorites, saved form several years ago.
How sad it seems that as we get older fewer people send cards. I always felt that they were like
gifts that you got in the mail.
I agree.