Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Receiving cards without returning the favor

We received our first Christmas card before the end of November - a blessing in an envelope from one of my mom's very best friends. She included a thoughtful note saying how much she missed my mom and a reminder of how much my mom loved her family. "I love Jean," I thought to myself, "Must remember to include her when I mail our Christmas cards this year..."



When I began my studies for yoga teacher training (YTT) in August I knew that December was going to be different this year. I knew that there were parts of my normal "it's-Christmas-time-and-these-are-the-things-I-do-every-year" that would have to be gently laid aside. But I figured that the sending of Christmas cards was not one of them.

I purchased two boxes of beautiful cards - one to send to friends and family, and the other to hand out to my yoga friends and teachers at YTT graduation. And I purchased Christmas postage stamps. Two sheets of Rudolph-the-red-nose-reindeer stamps {cute!}, and a full sheet of beautiful wreath stamps for my International friends {pretty!}.

December ensued. We made a road trip to California on the first weekend - a whirlwind trip that would result in me catching an annoying head cold upon our return. A terribly inconvenient time to be sick, but life goes on and Christmas stands still for no one.

Christmas cards from people we love kept flowing in, and the stack on the corner of our kitchen counter continued to grow. You know that place? The mail-gathering-place of things to take care of once you have time? I vowed to tape them to the wall around our cardboard reindeer like I've done in years past. I vowed, and the stack grew.

On December 26th I dismantled our tree and started packing up Christmas decorations. I LOVE the decs before Christmas, but when Christmas is over, I'm done. This year in particular, I wanted Christmas to slip away quietly, and for life to resume as something familiar and normal around here.

We received two more Christmas cards in the mail that day and they were added to the stack. I continued to wrap precious ornaments in tissue paper and packed things up for Doug to put in storage.

Remember, I had told myself that this Christmas was going to be different from December's past and I was right. As boxes of Christmas drifted out the door and found their way into the back of Doug's truck, I was still clinging to a precious chunk of Christmas, not ready to let go just yet. The stack of Christmas cards...





And in an act of something that looked totally unlike anything Deb would ever do, I hung some string and clipped each and every Christmas card to it - on the day after Christmas. I spent a little time with each card, re-reading the sentiments, cherishing the photos, and thinking about the sweet connection we have with each and every person who took the time to send us a card this year.


Later that day, Carrie joined us for dinner. I loved seeing her and Doug standing in front of the string of cards, reading each one and honoring the senders. In some ways it felt even more special to focus on the cards after Christmas had passed - after the hustle and bustle, crazy-schedule head-cold-daze and YTT graduation festivities.

Now, I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel guilty for not sending Christmas cards out this year. It would be wrong for me to try to convince you that I didn't feel a little pang of angst every time I saw those two boxes of unopened Christmas cards with my cute and pretty Christmas stamps waiting to be affixed. I feel a little sad that time was not on my side this December, that writing notes of love and "I think of you often" didn't happen this year. But as I pull myself from past to the present moment, and as I stand in front of our after-Christmas-card-display, I feel blessed beyond measure by those people in our lives who took the time to write notes, address envelopes, and use cute/pretty Christmas postage stamps (!!!).

In my mind I sent every one of you a Christmas card with a note of love and gratitude thoughtfully written inside. I realize that's not the same as having a physical card to add to the stack of mail on your kitchen counter, but the thought was most definitely there.

The strands of cards are going to stay on our kitchen wall for a few weeks - until it's close enough to Valentine's Day for me to hang my heart banner. Maybe I've just created an accidental tradition for Christmas card display. And I have two boxes of cards and 11.5 months to write Christmas cards for December 2015...

13 comments:

Becky said...

How lovely that you have somewhere to put the cards and enjoy them after Christmas - they will probably get enjoyed more now that all the other decorations are down. I feel guilty this year that I didn't send as many cards as I usually do - I just didn't seem to have the time or the heart to do it this year.

scrappyjacky said...

Like Becky, I think you may enjoy them more now that they aren't competing with everything else 'christmas'...and they do look lovely up there.

Sian said...

I received a lovely card just yesterday and I think you are absolutely right to want to keep on enjoying them long after Christmas. I haven't taken mine down yet, but when I do, I expect they'll stay in a little pile beside my bed for quite a while yet. Happy Christmas into January Deb!

Anonymous said...

A lovely idea Deb! Xx

Rhona said...

Like you Deb I didn't get round to sending Christmas cards this year. Going back to work in November after 26+ years as a SAHM hit me quite hard. I certainly didn't/don't have the work/home balance right yet and decided to make a donation to Cancer Research in place of sending cards. I'm hoping next year will be better but time will tell. Enjoy your cards now and we send you and yours lots of love for the year ahead xx

Cate Brickell said...

New traditions are always awesome at this time of year. I, too, didn't send cards this year, and didn't receive any. Oh well, I'll be ready to post super-early next year.

Stephanie @ La Dolce Vita said...

I did mine on garlands over all the arches this year and we're still enjoying them too! I see our card made it out to Arizona - yay! Happy New Year Deb!!

Denise said...

I totally understand everything you have said in this post . I always have good intentions and also have a stack, but that stack always stays with me till next year. I normally take a leisurely look through them with a cup of tea before putting them away - then I get last year's out and make rags with them! Lots of live to you and yours for 2015 Deb xx

Denise said...

That should have said 'tags' not rags !!!

alexa said...

Lovely that your line of cards was enjoyed by others too :). And that the kindness of Christmas is still with you in those cards. Our tree will be here till the New Year - traditionally here, they stay up till the 6th January).

Maria Ontiveros said...

Well, I'm glad the strand will stay up . . . because my card to you just went in the mail this week! And, confession #2, the only reason you're getting a handmade card is because I made them last year and never got around to sending them!!!
Love you,
Rinda

helena said...

lovely to see them all strung up - the cards are always the last bit of decoration that I take down and I often tuck them into the decoration box to look at again next year when I unpack ready to decorate

Anonymous said...

Lovely to see the cards all strung up but I did give a little squeal of delight when I saw my card at the top of your pile! I think the end of 2014 ran away with a lot of us but we can sit back and enjoy 2015. Take care x

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