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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Christmas cards, addresses and such.

It's come to my attention that I'm one of the few of my peers who A) owns an address book and B)knows how to use it!  Really?  Maybe I'm just a big dork, but as much as I love sending an email or a text over a phone call, I prefer real mail, for non-urgent/time-sensitive matters.  I could not wait to be old enough to send out my own Christmas cards.  A few years ago I decided that I liked sending and receiving real mail enough that I shouldn't do it once a year.  Then and there I decided to send mail more randomly throughout the year.  I have a basket in my dining room full of (well, it was full---it desperately needs restocking) note cards, thank yous, my address book, stamps, wallets of the kids, and the return address stamp.  There is no schedule or order really.  I can't say "thinking of you card" without hearing Jeff Foxworthy's bit on them..."Dear Earl, I was in the driveway the other day and saw an oil stain that reminded me of your head....." lol  However, sometimes you just think of someone and it's nice to write a note.  Last month I sent a note to my favorite teacher in high school to tell her how I think of her when reading to George, how I can still hear her voice while I read a poem I once competed with.  (No dear, don't sing it it's not a song.)  Sometimes to a friend of my grandparents, a cousin, whoever comes to mind.  Turns out, people like them!:)  I have two pen pals now, go figure.  One man who drives by my house to get to the post office to get my notes....how funny is that?
I think in this age of easy communication, many of us have forgotten to communicate.  That sounds silly now doesn't it?  I think we've become so good at quickly sharing our thoughts that we forget how to develop ideas and summarize events.  I think punctuation and spelling have been thrown out with the dish water.
For the last year I subscribed to the Amish newspaper.  These people know how to write!  Mock their eighth grade education all you want, many "English" eighth graders could not complete these letters.  They also have "showers" for folks who are shut ins, or are ill, downs' teenagers, etc.  Not a shower like we think, not a "hold up" as my grandmother would call it...a shower of cards.  Send note cards, sometimes a scrapbook page shower, and not often, a money shower.  This whole paper is compiled of letters written from a scribe in each district.  They must only write on one page and must summarize the whole week or two since they've last written.  It's amazing what you can learn.  I really miss that paper.  Budget cuts around here included that...and there is no online version of that paper!:)
As far as Christmas cards go, I love sending and receiving them.  This year we switched to a photo post card...far more budget friendly but not quite as much room to write a note.  There was a moment I thought I'd never finish them this year.  It took longer than in years past.  For a second I thought of it almost as a chore, just a task to mark off the list.  Then I started thinking about them more.  What a year it's been!  So many changes in the address book this year!  Mostly wonderful new additions, some new connections, some new addresses, new relationships, new last names, sadly, a few less to include in this year's mailing.  Some grieving families for who no doubt will be suffering through these holidays.  I don't think they should be ignored though.  I think it's still very important to let them know you haven't forgotten.
It's been a great opportunity to reflect on this whirlwind of a year and wonder for a minute what 2012 will bring.
If you're not in the address book and would like to be, drop me your address.  If you would like a tutorial on what an address book is, how to start one and use it....well let me know:)  I, for one, think it would be much more important than the "how to look hot" tutorial on youtube...but sadly, the chances of this one going viral...not so great!:)

Next up: thank you notes and why you should embrace them!:)

Happy writing!  (the kind with a pen...)