Postal Pressure

Its the time of year that friends and family send their yearly tidings of joy via Mr. Postman complete with a stamp that has some trendy artistic rendition of the season.  My first card arrived yesterday.  Its actually one of the cards I really look forward to every year.  This family is just plain classy.  Simple black and white photographs and a printed message on thick paper and pretty ribbon.  I actually save this card every year and have a small collection of them in a box downstairs. 

I find that people send a variety of cards:   There are the ones from your insurance agent who you don't know from Adam.  The cards that seem cheap and rushed through.  The family picture postcard (usually from my milkman inspiring guilt for me to leave a big holiday tip so he can feed all of the starving children his wife pumped out standing by the milk truck).  The cards from your girlfriends who also scrawl their new boyfriend's name at the bottom, however you've never met the guy and seriously doubt he truly wants to send you "season's greetings with love."  And then their are those who really come heart felt.  They are the ones with personalized inscriptions that really capture your relationship to the sender, what they mean to you, and real wishes that there could be more time spent over coffee sharing lives.

I try to send cards every year, but I find that my numbers are dwindling as my inscription gets more lengthy.  They are usually sent towards the end of the month only because I am a procrastinator.  I have tried several methods of trying to keep on top of this holiday tradition:  I have kept cards from years past and sent them cards the following years.  I once read to write cards the afternoon of Turkey day, but this year I was busy baking tasteless rolls.  Although none of these methods work for me, I still subscribe to "Real Simple" magazine for the helpful hints that may or may not get the ball rolling.

All in all, holiday cards are little gifts that arrive M-Sa from friends that mean more to me than any wrapped scarf or pair of earrings could ever give.