This time of year creates a feeling of joy and excitement for so many reasons. One of my favorite is the excitement for mail. Not only for the packages I receive filled with gifts for those I love, but for the holiday cards. Finally, mail is exciting again. I am no longer simply receiving endless junk mail and local ads. Now, I am receiving pictures, letters and cards from the many people that I love. Being a stay-at-home mom, I anxiously await the sound of mail dropping in my box outside my house. If I am close enough to hear it, I race to the mailbox hoping for a card and not just a local supermarket advertisement or even worse a bill.
Not everyone can participate in this age-old tradition because of financial stress or lack of time, but I wish I could say to everyone out there that those letters and cards really do mean a lot. They mean that even though time and distance separate us, they still think about me. My favorite are the letters that let me know how the family is doing. There are so many different types of letters. Some feel like they are bragging, but choosing to remember the positive things from the past year is not so bad. Is it? I have seen letters that make no sense at all and have some kind of candy theme to them, but it still made me smile and laugh. Each and every time I get a picture and can see how much the kids have grown or the new child added to the family I smile. I love to read about the people I care about and every year getting an update is truly amazing.
Our family has lived in numerous states and even more homes. That means we know people all over the country. It is physically impossible for me to keep in contact with all of them. I simply don’t have that kind of time. We have a large extended family and that only compounds the problem. I am so grateful to know so many people and I think that social media has helped in so many ways to keep us in contact.
Still, there is something magical about the holiday cards custom. It is like Christmas morning every day of December. There is the anticipation of whose card will be first. I have a cousin who usually gets this award and always seems to be on top of things. However, a friend took that award this year. No matter if they are first or last, each and every card and letter is a gift to me. It is a reminder that I am remembered and loved.
Each card is put onto my front door and I don’t take the pictures down until well into June because I just can’t bear to part with their faces. I want to look at them every time I go in and out of the house. A constant reminder of those wonderful people I have been blessed to know.
As I sit and work on my very own holiday letter, I imagine myself filling each and everyone with the love I have for these wonderful people who have so blessed my life. I remember the wonderful times we had together; maybe their laugh, their smile, or simply their strength. So if you are on the fence about cards and you have the ability, please send them. Remind the people you care about that they are remembered. The holidays may be a busy time, but it is a great time to show our love and renew our friendships. Really that is what sending those cards is about -Sending your love.
Do you still enjoy sending and receiving postcards?
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Jennifer Autry
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