Christmas Cards

Today was the day when I sat down to do our Christmas cards. It seems like a large task looming ahead, but by the time I actually sit down and do them, its not too bad, maybe even a bit pleasant. We're not ones to put together the dreaded Christmas letter. Mostly I just sign our names, but to a few, I'll jot down a few notes. Letting those few know what we've been up to. Even though we don't have that many people we send cards to, we had three different boxes of cards this year. Ann always gets a box through our church and I always get one or two boxes to send our less religious friends. Once I finally get into the actually signing/addressing/stuffing envelope process, what makes it bearable is the memories each name in the address book draws forth. The first card I do goes to my best friend growing up in Maryland. We lived a few house apart, swam on the same neighborhood summer swim team, went to the same high school, went to the beach together and had more then one crazy drinking escapade together. He still lives not that far away, but we never get together anymore. We just sort of drifted apart. Then there are my two fraternity brothers that I send cards to. I haven't seen them in years, but the good times we shared in school makes me want to still reach out and touch them this time of year. There are our relatives, of course, but also two nannies that lived with us as the kids grew up. They did a wonderful job with the kids and its nice to remember them. They both have families of their own now. I guess the cards kind of symbolize the whole Christmas time of year. The time when we think of those present and past who have touched our lives and made our world better for it.