I was out yesterday, shopping for Christmas cards. I LOVE sending Christmas cards! It usually takes me several days of careful shopping and comparisons involving pictures of packages taken with my cell phone, labeled with the store I found the contender for the title of Christie's Christmas Card of the Year; and possibly stashing a contender in an unrelated department (if it happens to be the last of the package) while I take my time deciding if it'll make the leap from Runner Up to First Place. Once I decide, I buy pens with ink that match the card, and I buy envelope sealers that complement the card inside, and I even get complimenting address labels.
Yup, I'm obsessive about sending the perfect Christmas card.
Here are several criteria a package of cards must meet in order to be considered worthy of the 44 cent badge it'll eventually wear on its way to my loved ones:
* Size matters! I don't usually have a whole lot to say in my cards (hard to believe, right?), and nothing emphasizes that lack like a big ole card full of unused writing space. That's right, I like my cards small. So I'm looking for something around the size of a printed photo (what're those, 4 x 6?).
* The design must be simple; austere, even. I hate busy cards.
* The design can't feature anything religious. No manger scenes, no fish, no doves, no baby Jesuses, no wise men. . . you get the idea. Those usually fall under "busy" anyway.
* No funny! I've got nothing against funny cards. I like receiving them just fine, but for some reason, I just don't like buying or sending them.
* The message inside can't be religious. I'm not a religious person, and that just feels like hypocrisy.
* The message must be simple. Nobody reads all those lengthy, long-winded cards anyway. Let's face it- they're just looking for the check.
* The message MUST reference Christmas.
This last criterion's the meat and bones of the problem I encountered yesterday. I found lots of wishes for the happiness of the season, lots of season's greetings, stupid numbers of warm holiday wishes, various encouragements to enjoy the holiday season, happy holidayses, happy holiday seasonses, blah blah blah. Holidays, seasons, and holiday seasons, my friends! Very few cards outside the religious category actually said CHRISTMAS!
Now, I think I already mentioned that I am not a religious person, and yes, I'm well aware of the Christian connotation of the word "Christmas". But doesn't "Happy Holidays" just sound so dry and generic? And how many of us actually grew up saying "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings" to one another?! If there are any, I'm sure yall're in the minority; if one of my third grade class mates had said that shit to me, I'd have likely stuck a Kick Me sign on his/her back at the earliest opportunity. Say it out loud to someone today- I guarantee you'll feel and sound like a complete tool.
Most of us who celebrate December 25th grew up saying "Merry Christmas". So why is it slowly becoming more difficult to find a damn Christmas card that says Merry Christmas, and does NOT feature a manger scene or a lamb or a blue-cloaked lady holding a beatific baby? Let's hear it, Hallmark! I'm all ears!
5 comments:
I'm not a religious person, either but I do believe and for me, it depends who I'm sending it too. But usually, if they don't say Merry Christmas, I write it out. :-)
See, I kind of feel like if'n I'm gonna fork out money for a card, it should say what I want it to say, with commentary being optional. I don't mind writing a lil in my card, but I want it to convey my message should I happen only to want to sign my name on it.
Or maybe I need to lighten up ;)
I totally get it. Not being religious myself, or at least not a religion that cards are massed produced for, I tend to run into the same thing. However, I usually don't send out christmas cards. I intend to every year, but it never happens.
Sending out Christmas cards is the only part of Christmas i actually like. I like the sending of well-wishings, and contacting family seldom reached out to. I like receiving a card and feeling all warm that someone thought about me this year, even if it was only long enough to write my name and lick a stamp.
The decorating and the purchase-frenzy can be dropped from Christmas altogether and I wouldn't be upset, but I do like to send the cards.
So here is my solution to this problem! I am not religious either, to be specific I am spiritual at best and believe whole heartedly in saying Merry Christmas to anyone I come across during this season. Anymore Its a game, I like their reactions:)
So back to my solution...I take pictures I have a stock in winter scenes from local places that I love, even a few with my beloved Golden retriever wearing a Santa hat:) Anyway, I make those into cards and write my own message inside.
Mind you I don't send many cards, but when I do they are unique like me, they are all mine and I feel that is the way to go.
When I run out of my own stuff, I find pics on the net that can be used for free...people like homemade cards..well my loved ones do anyway...save yourself some stress girl! MAKE THEM!
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