Tangible

In case you couldn't tell by  my absence, I'm back at work, which doesn't leave much free time for blogging. I'm commuting each day an hour each way, so by the time I get home, I want to eat everything in sight, snuggle with Dean and watch Criminal Minds with Marcus until time to pass out. I have the morning off today, so we're curled up with a big pot of coffee watching "Horton Hears A Who," which Dean refers to as "Horton Hears A Poot." Yeah.

ANYWAY. I love Christmas and one of the things I love most is recieving Christmas cards. I used to take great pride in signing each card  and addressing the  envelopes. These days, companies  make  it easy on us--we upload a picture, type in some text and they make a beautiful holiday greeting just for us.  We got some cute photo  cards this  year (which took 9 forevers to arrive, by the way) and I must admit--I took the easy way  out and just shoved them into envelopes and sent them. I'd have liked to include a little note to a lot of folks, but time was just not on my side.

I've enjoyed receiving cards a lot this  year, though. In this day of instant gratification-type communitcation (thank you, email and Facebook), it was great to get something not electronic from my friends and family, something tangible. I always get excited when I see an old friend's handwriting on the envelope, noticing it hasn't changed that much since we were 12 years old. It's fun knowing my friends spent time stuffing envelopes and sticking stamps just like I did.

I was most happy to get a card in the mail yesterday from Christy, addressed to "The Lanes,  Masters of the Universe." The front was a printed photo card with great pictures of her family, and on the back, they had all signed it. I know I go on and 0n about how much I love my blog friends, and I  have to  tell you--it's cool and a little surreal when they become tangible. At BlogHer, I got to hug  some folks I've been friends with for years, but hadn't  had the pleasure of meeting in real life until the conference.  It was surreal to see them walking toward me, not just living in the still images I see on my laptop day after day. On the back of Christy's card, her daughter signed her name and her son drew X's and O's. I immediately sent her and email  telling her, "It's like you're real people or something!" She knows what I mean. A lot of you do.

This Christmas, touch things. Smell things. Really look at your family and friends.  Run  your fingers over the ornaments your great-grandma made. Inhale the sweet smells of cinnamon and tangerines. Breathe in the fresh,  cold air.  Hug your kids a little tighter. Savor the tangible treasures of the season.

Comments

[Dusty]

I love Christmas cards. I have to admit, the last couple of years, I've taken the easy way out and used mailing labels and pre-printed cards. Funny how your perspective on doing that changes when you have 3 little kids. Time becomes a valuable commodity, so short-cuts are inevitable. Merry Christmas to all of you!

[J]

Sending and receiving Christmas cards is one of my favorite parts of Christmas, too, and for the same reasons you stated. I love looking at them all through the season and remembering our friends and family. It brings back lots of good memories. Enjoy looking at your cards and remembering!

[rkmama]

Getting cards, especially photo ones is one of my favorite holiday things. I keep the old ones in the x-mas decoration boxes and when I put everything away I compare the new vs old ones and see how much a family grows and changes over the years.
And I love the message to just stop. Stop and savor life as it is right now in this beautiful season. Although I'll wait to savor it AFTER the stomach flu has run its course here because I am NOT savoring THAT.

[andifoo]

Your posts make me SMILE,that last paragraph in particular. When we finally get to meet I'm going to squeeze you so hard your eyes will pop out.

[Molly]

Jen, I so love what you wrote at the end of this post. I hope you and your family have a fantastic Christmas this year. (Quite unlike last year's crazy time, eh?)