Christmas Countdown: Day 17 Family Tradition
Today’s family tradition is the Christmas Card. I haven’t gotten mine out yet this year, have you? I know I’m not alone since today, at gymnastics, several Moms were busy signing, stamping and licking envelopes.
No matter who broke we are, we always send our cards. I like to take it as an opportunity to touch base with people we otherwise lose touch with over the year.
Do you include one of those family newsletters in your card? We have, on and off. This year I’ve waivered. We had so much go on in 2007 that it seems like a good idea to update those who have been out of touch and may not even know we moved across the country! But I just don’t feel braggy and I can never figure out a good way to do those letters that make it interesting for folks to read. I sort of feel like saying “if you want to know about our year, read my blog” haha.
Do you include pictures? We’ve done this every year now for a few years. I love receiving pictures from friends and family! I look forward to it all year. So please send me pictures - I promise to adorn my refrigerator! This year my plan was to make the picture into the cord through Shutterfly or Walmart or some such place.
Do you ever make your own cards? We did this one year and NEVER AGAIN! Waaaay too much work. It stops being meaningful when it becomes an assembly line.
I’ll tell you one cool tradition we have kept on and off. We have had the kids all sign their names and had the group signatures made into a signature stamp! My intent was to keep them from year to year and a neat sort of memento of the kids growing and changing signatures over the years. You can have it done pretty inexpensively at a local shop. It’s a lot of fun!
So get out those cards! And please, send me one! Thanks 
December 9th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Nicki, I am loving your newest series of posts! One tradition, one favorite thing, perfect!
We just finished addressing our cards and they are on their way out. We’ve never done a newsletter, although I’ve considered it and even written a few drafts. Our tradition has the kids Grandmas taking the pictures sometime over Thanksgiving then I print at Costco, exciting huh?
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December 9th, 2007 at 11:59 am
I love the signature stamp idea! I’ll have to remember to do that once more than 1 out of 3 kids can write their names =). I’d love to exchange cards with you and keep your kids on my fridge - just shoot me an e-mail at momwholoveschrist@hotmail.com.
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December 9th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
I made cards one year. ONE year. Never again. I like the signature stamp idea. I’ll have to figure out where I could get that done around here. Haven’t done my cards yet this year. Just not feeling motivated, but it is my goal for this week.
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December 9th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
I started sending out ours a few days ago, did you get yours yet?
I made our cards 3 years in a row but I stopped once K was born, not enough time to get them done, so now I let Costco do the work and all I have to do is take 1(or60) pictures of the kids. LOL
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December 10th, 2007 at 10:49 am
We do cards every year–we are trying to figure out how to save $ and I suggested not doing them this year, but dh really wants to–plus I don’t want to get dropped off anyone’s list, I love getting them! I also love seeing the pics esp. of kids.
I havn’t done the letter thing–we get a few braggy boring ones–and then one we always look forward to every year that is touching and well-written and makes me cry every time–if I could write one like that I would do it!
We attempted to get a picture at the beach yesterday–I think we took 30-40 pictures and NOT ONE is good! Somebody is always looking the wrong way or making a dumb face.
I have never attempted to make my own–I know my limits!
Love the sig. stamp idea–you are so creative and so good at making things special!
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December 10th, 2007 at 11:20 am
I love all your recent holiday posts. We do the cards every year, with a picture but no letter. I’ve never attempted my own cards…I let the kind people at Walgreens handle them every year.
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December 10th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
I’ll be sending mine out this week. Email me to exchange them magallanesmelinda @yahoo. com.
I do love the stamp idea and will definitely have to try that one year. One of my teachers in elementary school got our signatures on a stamp. I still have that stamp.
I made my cards just one year also. I’m a crafter and a stamper and make cards all the time, but it was hard to make all of my Christmas cards. Now we just do the picture, no card. I keep saying that when our lives get more exciting that I’ll start to write Christmas letters, but well, we haven’t gotten there yet.
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