Christmas PSA Part 1: Christmas Cards

Christmas cards are very important. It’s not just about reminding that elderly aunt in Idaho who’s not on Facebook that you’re still alive and, yes, you had ANOTHER kid. It’s also a way to show people that you love them – enough to have their addresses written down somewhere, buy actual postage stamps, and then take the time to sign all those suckers and stuff them into envelopes.

There is also a little bit of hidden judgement that comes along with Christmas cards. After all, if you don’t send a card, there’s a possibility you’ll be taken off someone’s card list next year. I mean, I wouldn’t do that, but I’ve heard of others that do.

So if you’re going to do Christmas cards this year, be sure to do them right.

Step 1 – Pick a card that fits your personality.

Some people choose a peaceful snow scene that conveys a feeling of serenity and the quietness of the season. Since I live in Texas and haven’t seen a snow covered cottage outside of Mickey’s Christmas Carol, this one always feels a little hypocritical for me. Others go with the Holy Family, which is always a lovely reminder of the reason we’re celebrating. One year my husband and I decided to be a little risqué, and we chose this option:

Strangely, we didn’t get many cards from others the next year…

However, the most common, and the one we started going with when we had kids and it was no longer weird to do so, is send a photo card that has pictures of your family and/or pets on it. This one is nice because then your aunt in Idaho doesn’t have to guess who you are by the name and address. (There’s always a chance she’ll mistake you for your sister, and then you won’t get the Christmas card credit that you’ve earned).

A benefit of this option is you get the added bonus of trying to get a nice picture of your kids that doesn’t have them rolling their eyes, striking a pose, or crying because you stole their pacifier and told them to say cheese. Some people pay a photographer that knows what she’s doing to take pictures that actually look good, but that’s the cheater’s way. It’s no fun if it doesn’t cause you to yell “Get your hands out of your mouth!” at least ten times.

Step 2 – Buy the stamps.

This may seem a little obvious, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down to do my Christmas cards and realized that I forgot to buy stamps. So then when I finally remember to do so, and I’m at an actual place that sells them, the only ones they have left are the Star Trek stamps.

While arguably very cool, these don’t actually convey the whole “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” sentiment. Now if the arrival date of December 28^th doesn’t already give it away, everyone will know that you’re a procrastinator.

Step 3 – Get the kids involved.

One of the reasons you had kids was for the free labor, amIright?? So make them do a lot of the work. Little hands are great at stuffing envelopes, attaching address labels and sticking stamps on. If you want your cards to be even more personalized, make sure you give them a bowl full of Cheetohs as a snack before you start the work.

Step 4 – Put them in the mailbox.

Ta-da! You’re done! One more thing you can cross off your list. Nice job, you deserve some Cheetohs.