DAY 11 -- ADVENT 2023

OPENING CHRISTMAS CARDS

I don’t remember when we started the tradition of opening Christmas cards together – Mother, Daddy, and I. We received a lot of Christmas cards, and these were held in a stack unopened until after supper.

Then, while we were still at the table, we would open and read each card. If it contained a letter, Mother would read it aloud, too. It became my job to check them off the list in the address book. Once we had finished opening the cards, I taped them onto the door frames and when those were covered, I started up the stairwell.

After Christmas, most cards were tossed. (What were we thinking?!!!!) We saved only those that might be used for gift tags in future years.

Well, it was fun then, and it’s a fun memory now. I was not successful in my effort to find out when the exchange of Christmas cards was at its peak, but we all know that somehow it lost its luster and mostly went away. Why? Well, back in the day, an assortment of Christmas cards was relatively inexpensive and postage was a pittance, we also had the time to do it, and we weren’t connected through social media.

Oh yes, we may still send a few cards, but it’s just not like it was “back in the day” when everyone wished everyone else a happy holiday with a more personal greeting. KW