Christmas cards 2017
Just a week ago there was no interest in sending cards for the holidays this year. It's a waning tradition, and Kathy's endearing one of hanging up received cards on door frames began to fade in recent years as cards that came in were not plentiful. Another thing... as we age there are less likely to be cards that show children's faces, on the card or photos inside. Those cards were welcomed as recipients and relished as senders. That's not our situation now, and not at the moment part of this more digital and less tangible social future. Accepted.
Somehow interest revived a few days ago upon receipt of several cards, one particularly nice one from younger daughter. The thought was, "why not send a few cards" to relatives still relevant. Enjoying the catalogs of member organizations, this year it was the Met that got the call after numerous sequential years of MOMA. Misreading the catalog, two boxes were ordered with the expectation of eight cards in each, turned out to be 15. Oh well, they can be saved...
Then two days ago, cards on the desk and pen in hand, addresses and brief greetings on a few propelled the same on more, and the number expanded. Today cards were sent once again. The compulsion of sending cards to people with whom there was little contact was ended. That can only be said with finality later in the week. The spirit can obviously not be controlled.
It is suggested that the spirit is not one of religion or bonds of friendship. Those can certainly be there but the spirit here is really one of tradition. For some, guilty here, it is just a compulsion at holiday time. Most cards were hand delivered to our small local post office(wanting the local postal stamp, yet another quirk), maybe a few to follow. Some cards received and some cards leftover will be taped to door frames to continue K's tradition. Removing the tape is always a ... but worth it.
The one missing ingredient here was personal notes on cards. Those were always looked forward to from others(audacity here has been to be annoyed if there was not even a brief note) and almost always attempted on cards sent, some informative and some a bit banal as duty called. The personal notes did not rise up this year. Sending the cards was the goal, with a greeting and our names attached. We are here was the intent along with a holiday wish.
Who knows... things can regress and then progress, verbs.
Somehow interest revived a few days ago upon receipt of several cards, one particularly nice one from younger daughter. The thought was, "why not send a few cards" to relatives still relevant. Enjoying the catalogs of member organizations, this year it was the Met that got the call after numerous sequential years of MOMA. Misreading the catalog, two boxes were ordered with the expectation of eight cards in each, turned out to be 15. Oh well, they can be saved...
Then two days ago, cards on the desk and pen in hand, addresses and brief greetings on a few propelled the same on more, and the number expanded. Today cards were sent once again. The compulsion of sending cards to people with whom there was little contact was ended. That can only be said with finality later in the week. The spirit can obviously not be controlled.
It is suggested that the spirit is not one of religion or bonds of friendship. Those can certainly be there but the spirit here is really one of tradition. For some, guilty here, it is just a compulsion at holiday time. Most cards were hand delivered to our small local post office(wanting the local postal stamp, yet another quirk), maybe a few to follow. Some cards received and some cards leftover will be taped to door frames to continue K's tradition. Removing the tape is always a ... but worth it.
The one missing ingredient here was personal notes on cards. Those were always looked forward to from others(audacity here has been to be annoyed if there was not even a brief note) and almost always attempted on cards sent, some informative and some a bit banal as duty called. The personal notes did not rise up this year. Sending the cards was the goal, with a greeting and our names attached. We are here was the intent along with a holiday wish.
Who knows... things can regress and then progress, verbs.
posted by John Borden at 10:02 PM
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