Growing up, my family didn't do the holiday card thing. I don't know if it was because we were Jewish, or because my parents were divorced, or because we didn't own matching reindeer sweaters… but it was never even brought up as a topic of conversation let alone a potential endeavor. Other people must have sent us cards, but as a kid, unless you're the one being forced to sit by the fire and plaster a smile on your face, holiday cards generally fall outside of your radar. You can very easily go through high school, college and even half of your twenties without giving them a second thought.
At some point though, the people whose parents used to make them sit at the foot of the Christmas tree for their annual family photo start sending Christmas cards of their own. It happens slowly, when your friends begin to get married. But once the happy couples start procreating, it's like someone broke the valve on the holiday card dam and it's a wonder anything else can jam itself into your mailbox.
I've learned to appreciate the deluge of cards for three reasons. 1) They feel festive and remind me it's time to get my ass in gear and buy some gifts. 2) It's nice to set them up on our credenza and say "Gee! We have a lot of friends!" and 3) It's a yearly lesson in memorizing the names of our friends' kids.
This is the first year that my husband and I have joined the "People with Kids" club. Our baby was born in December 2009, so we got a pass last year as far as holiday cards go. WE WERE BUSY. But now Mazzy is coming up on a year and it's holiday card season all over again and the burning question is: Are we holiday card people? Cause we don't even have a fireplace!
The fact is, holiday cards are a lot easier to create now than when we were kids. You just pick a template, upload a picture, and voila! holiday photo cards arrive at your door. As far as the photo goes, I have to believe we can be holiday card people without being snowflake-sweaters-in-front-of-a-burning-fireplace people. And it seems like most people forgo the picture of the entire family showcasing their perfect domestic bliss in favor of the kids doing the job all by themselves, like the three designs above. All anybody really cares about is seeing the baby anyway. And of course, whatever the hell the kid's name is so they can get it right on NEXT year's holiday card.
So if I add all that together (easy + no snowman sweaters + I don't have to be in the picture), I think this might be the year to give the holiday card thing a whirl. But, mark my words, we will NEVER EVER be a yearly newsletter family.
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I love the holiday card season! Im def doing it but I totally want to do the matching sweater idea. My husband refuses but I will beat him into submission. You should consider posting your card 🙂 i think I am going to if I am able to get us all in matching ugly sweaters and antlers.
Ha ha! I love this. It is also our first Holiday Card season and I am also planning on Tom doing the cute job all by himself. Although I’m not sure getting him to pose for one will be easy. You think he’d wear a hat? With a peace sign on it? That looks a little on the gnome side? And still love me? I’m pushing it, aren’t I?
We always used Christmas as a reason to act nicely to family members from out of town so we would send out cards with loving messages like “Merry Christmas. Love you but don’t come to visit”
My husband and I would get a plethora of baby shots and those lame arse awkward engagement like photos with a brief note. We would laugh hysterically at their matching outfits…then we came up with an idea. Instead of using those crappy photos we would make up scenes. Like when my son was born we put him in a gift box and had a sign on it that said “Return to Santa: Love family dog” But we’re silly like that.
PS.I love you and you make me laugh. A. LOT.
Every year during the holiday card deluge Alex and I joke about doing a holiday card for the most random holiday we can find, like Flag Day or Tisha B’Av. Which has as much chance as actually happening as your annual Sukkot party does!
The antlers will be a nice touch. Make sure at least one person gets the tip of theirs caught in the fire.
I would totally steal that dog bit if I had a dog. I might have to buy one just for the comedy.
It’s my annual PURIM party and it WILL happen.
The best thing about kids is at this stage is they’ll love you no matter what. You can plant your little gnome in the garden and he’d still not be able to get enough of you.
Here’s some Christmas card inspiration for all of us :
http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2009/05/03/tis-the-season/
Beautiful ! xx
I never did the card thing because my parents never did cards, not to mention just occasional gifts. Luckily for you, you got gifts and no cards. I hope I didn’t leave you emotionally scarred. Let’s face it – kids ignore the cards and go straigt for the gift anyway and their parents have to remind them to do the polite thing and open the card too.
Your loving but cardless mom.
That picture is amazing- “World’s Best Dad” is the best part. That site has tons of future blog fodder potential. Thanks!
Mom- I was talking about the yearly holiday card that people send to everyone they know. Cards attached to gifts are a whole other thing. For the record, I totally appreciated your gifts and didn’t care that there wasn’t a card attached. Don’t worry- I am not emotionally scarred. (By the card thing, anyway).