“Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance—each beautiful, unique, and gone too soon.”
Winter has settled in well before its official start. Today is cold again, down to 30˚. Yesterday’s blue sky has been replaced by clouds, but my grandmother would say no weather is predicted, meaning no rain or snow. She had a narrow view of weather.
My to do list just got a bit smaller. I chose the cookies I’ll be making this Christmas. I even made out the shopping list. I think, though, I’m just avoiding the guest room still piled with unorganized, unwrapped gifts. I’m starting to feel guilty as I really need to get those gifts to Colorado. I’m aiming for Tuesday.
Last night I watched Krampus. I was trying to cut my sugar intake from all the Hallmark movies I’d been watching. Krampus is a demonic force who punishes those who have lost the Christmas spirit. He is helped by iconic Christmas symbols like gingerbread men and elves, all frightening creatures with sharp teeth. Today I’m back to Hallmark.
My house has been attacked by dog hair disguised as dust. Clumps line the route from the couch to the hall to the kitchen and a second route up the stairs to the bedroom. I can never walk down the hall without stopping to pick up dust clumps. Brushing Henry doesn’t help all the much. I think it just stirs the fur to fall.
When I was a kid, the Christmas tree was always lit. At night, it was the only light in the living room until my dad got home. He’d turn on the light which shined over his chair so he could read the paper and go through the mail. My mother always included the Christmas cards she’d open so he could see who sent them.
My mother had a metal index card holder to keep track of addresses and Christmas cards sent and received. It was green with fir trees and stars. Some of the cards were a bit messy with changes of address written above the old address. My mother had a limit of two years of no cards received before she’d stop sending the cards, but my mother didn’t toss away the offender’s index card. She just moved it to the back just in case.
I am in no way as organized as my mother was. I have an old small cardboard box filled with return addresses, some in duplicate. I empty the box and write out cards then put the addresses back into the box. I’m thinking to organize by replacing all the return addresses with this year’s and marking them 2018. That makes me feel a little bit organized and accomplished.
Explore posts in the same categories: Musings
keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
December 9, 2018 at 4:44 pm
My Grandfather kept a small book in which he recorded mailing and receipt of Christmas cards. If the recipient missed two years they were removed from future greetings. It would seem the two year rule was universally accepted !
We grew up in a time when Charity cards set the standards, especially cards purchased in support of “Save the Children”. It was normal to flip the card to see who was being helped.
My Mother had a large silver cardboard Christmas Tree with slots to hold each card. Each night the new cards were added and generally there were more cards than slots available
It’s December 9th and we have received 6 cards, 3 of which are single sheets with numerous photos of the mailing family. I talked to my Uncle Paulie yesterday who was telling me that he had received a card from his old friend Mike..but that’s the only card he has received. The immediacy of the digital world and social media has all but eliminated the Christmas card.
December 9, 2018 at 5:57 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I thought two years was my mother’s rule. It’s good to know she was following the universal rule of thumb.
My mother used to support the Indian Foundation and the MSPCA.
Something like the cardboard tree would be a welcome addition here. I do have a small metal potato chip holder. I snap in the cards where the chips would be.
It is sad that the digital world has eliminated cards. I really enjoy sending cards and getting is even better. I hunt for just the right card. This year’s makes me laugh. It is titled dinosaur and human trade gifts, another wonderful Edward Gorey card.
I have received four cards and one was from Chewy.com.
December 9, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Kat,
The two year rule does make sense. My Grandfather would discuss likely reasons for the lack of appropriate response.
I was a mailman for Christmas when I was in college. Loved the job and my services were needed in the era of heavy card delivery and a few packages. I would be at the Epsom Post Office at 4:00 am, sort and pack my route and be out on my bike by 7:00 am at the latest. A super duper greasy breakfast was provided on our return and we were out again by noon for a second delivery.
I delivered to row houses, with long paths and just 10 feet between each door. One of my clients yelled at me for crossing the short portion of lawn instead of marching up and down the path. Unbelievably she didn’t get any more deliveries leading up to Christmas as I continually returned her cards to the “don’t know where they live” basket.
December 9, 2018 at 8:45 pm
MDH,
I worked at the post office every Christmas vacation when I was in college. My job was to sort the mail at what was called the main board. From my board sorters would take their mail and sort it at their boards which had more of a narrow focus. I worked 50 hours a week and was able to buy my Christmas presents with the money I earned.
I love that woman not getting her cards. It serves her right.
December 9, 2018 at 5:30 pm
I remember keeping addresses on index cards usually in a metal box. Some folks used a Rolodex to keep their addresses. I never knew that many people and carried a paper address book. Today everyone we have ever known since 1995 is listed on my computer and therefore on our iPhones and iPads. I also keep all our different calendars digitally and wouldn’t know how else to keep and distribute it to everyone in the family.
My 84 yo mother in law, who has had an iPhone for several years finally learned how to send a text. I tried to teach her how to use her phone for several years and gave up since she never applied herself or paid attention. Someone at the JCC taught her how to text. They must have the patience of a saint. I guess she will get rid of her paper day planner sometime in the next dacade if she lives that long 🙂
Tonight is the last night of Chanukah and all nine candles will be lighted. I got away this year without having eaten any greasy potato pancakes or even a jelly donut. Next up is the Jewish tradition on Christmas Eve which we celebrate with takeout Chinese food and by watching a movie on Christmas Day. 🙂
The cold rainy weather for the last couple of days is headed across the Deep South and then up the East Coast as a blizzard. Today the sun was shining in a clear blue sky with temperature in the low 50s.
December 9, 2018 at 6:23 pm
Bob,
I have addresses and e-mail together on my computer, but I do use the return addresses from cards I’ve received to send cards. I keep appointments on Alexa and on my computer. The ones on my calendar are my fail safes.
My mother was given a laptop, and I spent quite a while teaching her to send and receive mail. She did neither.
I’d definitely eat a jelly donut. They remind me of when I was a kid. My father always bought us jelly donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts on Sundays. I also like potato latkes. Mine weren’t greasy.
Luckily there is no snow heading my way. It will be cold and mostly dry with rain only predicted next weekend and maybe the 21st.
December 10, 2018 at 2:07 am
Just below 32F here this morning but it will rise to a degree or two above during the day. Twenty minutes ago I could see stars and Venus now clouds cover them all.
I always think I’ve saved all addresses I need every year but I always miss a few anyway 🙂 Today it’s easy to find addresses if one know in what town people live because of the internet. We have a couple of sites where one can find all addresses and that makes it so much easier at least if they live in this country 🙂
Yes the tree was always lit and it always looked so nice in the dark. The bulbs were always white back then, the few that had multi colored bulbs were always looked upon with suspicion 🙂 🙂 🙂 Today thankfully that has changed but I still think that the majority of the tree strings are white, my little tree has multicolored though 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
December 10, 2018 at 2:09 pm
Christer,
Yesterday was cold, but today is even colder and is an overall ugly day It is dark and so very cloudy.
I also have had to look up addresses on the net. I have a few New Year’s cards I sent out to people not on my card list who sent me cards.
Our tree had multi-colored bulbs which got so hot to the touch. Even the ones the windows got hot. Now I have bulbs which don’t burn hot. I put a white strand down the middle of the tree as if it were stars then I use all colored bulbs on the rest of the tree.
Have a great day!!
December 10, 2018 at 12:16 pm
Hi Kat,
I have 3 Bunnystaplus cards so far and mailed mine out last week. I haven’t received any Christmas cards yet nor have I mailed any out although I do have one addressed. I was going to mail it last week but thought it might be too early. I’ll get on that task this week.
All my addresses are in my Contacts list. My mother had address books which she invariably misplaced and had to redo several times. I recently found the last one. It’s very beat up and there are lots of X’d out entries. Pretty sure a lot of those people have left the planet and most of the rest have moved to addresses unknown by me.
Yesterday was sort of sunny and sort of cloudy. It was also wicked cold.
Enjoy the day.
December 10, 2018 at 1:47 pm
Hi Caryn,
I don’t think any of my friends or family know about Bunnystaplus so I’m going to learn.
My cards went out because I have two going overseas, and I wanted them to make it by Christmas. I used three different cards this year. I keep a list of who got what so I don’t duplicate year to year as I usually have a few left over.
My mother never tossed out a card. She just moved the no longer with us and those who didn’t reciprocate to the back.
Today is even colder than yesterday!
December 10, 2018 at 6:18 pm
I could send you to this link but you might have to join Ravelry and then join CPaAG in order to read it. But it’s the beginning of Bunnystaplus
https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/completely-pointless-and-arbitrary-group/2391736/1351-1375#1366
Otherwise, you can try this link.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lqmjmpptylj2z9d/Bunnystaplus%20origin.pages?dl=0
You might be one of the few non-Ravelers to know.
December 10, 2018 at 6:33 pm
Caryn,
I do have to join Ravelry, but I’m okay with that. I’m waiting for the link right now. This is exciting! Thanks!!
December 10, 2018 at 3:14 pm
I now use a spreadsheet and color code non-senders. Yellow means one more year. Red you’re gone, but like your Mom, I keep them on file just in case.
December 10, 2018 at 6:35 pm
Erin,
I keep the return addresses with the date on each. The non-senders have the old dates. I keep them in a separate place year to year. I eliminated a couple this year.