This time of year creates feelings of joy and excitement for many reasons. One of my favorites is the excitement for mail-not only for the packages I receive filled with gifts but also for the holiday cards.

Mail is finally exciting again. I no longer simply receive endless junk mail and local ads. Now I get pictures, letters and cards from the people I love. When I am home, I anxiously await the sound of mail dropping in the 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.

Those letters and cards really do mean a lot. They mean that even though time and distance separate us, you still think about me. There are so many different types of letters. My favorite are the letters that let me know how the family is doing. These letters can be so informative and funny. They help me feel like I was a part of their year.

Of course, some cards sound like bragging, but choosing to remember the positive things from the past year is not so bad, is it? I have seen other letters that even make no sense at all, but they still made me smile and laugh. Each time I get a picture and see how much the kids have grown or that a new child was added to the family, I smile. I love to read about the people I care about. Getting an update every year is truly amazing.

Our family has lived in numerous states and even more homes. That means we know people all over the country and in some foreign countries as well. It is physically impossible for me to keep in contact with all of them. I simply don't have that kind of time. Also, we have a large extended family, which only compounds the problem. I am so grateful to know these people. Social media has helped in so many ways to keep us in contact.

Still, there is something magical about getting a holiday card in the mail. It is like Christmas morning every day of the holiday season. 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. But, no matter if they are first or last, every card and letter is a gift to me. It is a reminder that I am remembered and loved.

Each card and picture is attached to my front door, and I don't take the pictures down until at least 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 the cards 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 laughs, their smiles 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. That is what sending Christmas cards is about-sending your love.

nextarticle
Close Ad