Are you sending Christmas cards this year?
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Um… I’m procrastinating. But, we have until the sixth of January or so, right?
For the first time in many years I am sending Christmas cards. I print my own (i.e. set the type, make the cuts, compose the page, ink the press, etc. etc.). The card has a nice picture of an angel and below it the antiphon “Hodie Christus natus est: hodie Salvator apparuit, &c.” set in 12 point Goudy Italia with an initial H (36 pt). It also says “Merry Christmas” on it in defiance of those who send “holiday” cards. I will send about a dozen, to those who will appreciate them. I will not be sending a photocopied letter of the yearly “news” detailing what Aunt Minnie’s cats did over the 4th of July.
I intend to send about 30 cards with a letter about changes that have occurred over the last year. I will try to be as upbeat as possible. I will stress how my new Catholic faith has helped me weather the storms of illness, etc. I will also tell about “my seminary student” in Colombia who I am sponsoring through the CFCA.
I procrastinate, which is very unlike me. 8-( (Get with it, Annie)
Some people no longer want to hear from me because I am Catholic and they (wrongly) think I am now more conservative than I was. Oh well.
I procrastinated a bit this year, I sent out some yesterday. About the same as I did last year.
I bought printable post cards and am using those to save no only on the cost of the cards themselves but on the cost of postage. I printed out the color picture side of about 200 of them using my inkjet printer. Thus I went through some ink cartridges, which I replaced at low cost through lasermonks.com. Then I used the laser printer to print the reverse side with the message and the addresses, then signed them all by hand and added a personal note where necessary. The unfortunate thing was that the only postcard stamps the post office had were “tropical fruit”, which I thought was a bit tacky. But the overall cost was much lower than the normal routine of sending out regular cards.
My wife and I make our cards every year, we’re sending about the same amount as last year. When you factor in the time it takes to make them it’d probably be less expensive to just buy cards from our Knights of Columbus council or something, but we like the personal touch.
I got a couple of boxes (i guess about 40) from the National Shrine in DC and sent them out–about par. I notice I receive a little less each year. I generally send to immediate family as well as aunts and uncles.
Gerry
We’ve not received many cards this year. My mother always sends something traditionally Catholic; practically everyone else in our set appears to view Christmas as being all about them, as their cards feature images of their children, their homes, their pets, their vacations, etc.
I think people are mostly ashamed of giving witness to their faith and have been bullied/socially pressured into erasing its signs from their public lives. Religion is private, you know. Nice people don’t talk about it.
We’re not nice, so we’re sending about 130 — a commercially-produced card with the standard Nativity scene in color on the front. Not an Old Master’s work: modern, but in a traditional style. With the “religious” postage stamp, of course (indeed, we bought some extras to use all year long). The lack of polite restraint is downright indecent.
For the last several years we have been having children in December and getting our sea legs through Christmas. Despite my husbands valiant attempts/desire to get the cards written and out, it hasn’t happened for 3 years…this year is shaping up to be no different!
I am sending out about 75 cards again this year. (beautiful religious art ones at a great price from Magnificat) However, I won’t get them in the mail until after Christmas Day. But I promise to do it by Epiphany. I used to write poems about each of my children, but now that they’re grown, I just enclose a letter to bring people up to date about my life. I don’t brag but I don’t mind if other people do in their Christmas letters. I’m just glad to catch up with them, even if it’s once a year.
We’re sending the same number as usual about 40, found some good ones at monasterygreetings.com
I sent about 30 cards. A couple more than last year. I hand-made some of them, using cardstock paper as support, and papers with christmas designs as a background, one small text in latin from the introit of the Nativity Mass and a personal message. In some cases (family) I also included a letter.
Because I am slow making cards I bougth some from the FSSP. Beautiful cards with an automatic enrollment in a novena of Masses. I really likeed that idea.
We’ll send a couple dozen as usual…but we’ll receive fewer. It’s expensive and takes time. Email and other means of communication are faster, better and cheaper…
I’ve never sent cards before, but I’m doing maybe five or so this year because my husband and I are not visiting family for Christmas for the first time in our married life. I never wanted to get into the Christmas cards trap and am only sending personal cards to those that need it. I found a nice Irish blessing to include in the ones I made by hand.
We’re definitely sending cards — the same amount as usual!
We send about 35-40 booklets from the Salesian missions each year. I consider it a moral must for the season. I really enjoy writing little notes about updates to our personal lives and receiving theirs in return. For most of them we’ll never ever see them again and it is absolutely imperative from, my point of view , to always keep these dear friends and relatives in mind at Christmas. In this way I can remember them and somehow visualize their faces and the circumstances surrounding the time we last saw them. Very, very enjoyable.
Father Z, hi! I’m new to your blog but I wanted to answer your question because my mom and I were just talking about this. Stamps are expensive so I’m not sending out as many cards as I would like — and I have to say I am receiving fewer of them than in past years. But I am sending probably a few dozen. For me, Christmas cards are not only a nice reminder of faith but they are a great way to get in touch with people you’ve fallen out of touch with, mend fences with people you’ve squabbled with, also to thank people who have helped you throughout the year. I am working on a book about a concert pianist so many of my cards this year are going out to a bunch of his friends who have helped with that. I write personal messages on the cards, so they add up to a lot of time as well as money. But I think they’re worth it for everything they accomplish.
Sending lots from Aid to the Church in Need.
Posted the foreign ones today. (phew.)
I started sending ecards last year in an effort to stay within our Christmas budget. (Hallmark Smilebox has a great free program where you can upload your own photos and add personal text – or for $4.99 send out deluxe version with no ads and the recipient can save your photos for their use. Smilebox has several Christian Christmas greeting templates, which is what I use.) The response was overwhelmingly positive – I sent them out Christmas Eve.
I still send a few snail-mail cards that I purchase through Catholic Relief Services (handmade cards that are gorgeous) to those who do not have access to a computer.
Probably won’t get around to it this year. But in the past I’ve typically sent over 80 to 100 including an entertaining newsletter of the year in pictures and captions. I always send a religious card and am struck by the dearth of religious-themed cards I receive.
Folks apparently look forward to my newsletter and ask about it, commenting that its the only newsletter they read, and even forward it to others…but I’ve become more like Martha than Mary lately, and get too busy around the holidays doing too much.
We get our cards from the FSSP, and will send out a little over 100 this year, about the same as last year.
We’re doing a letter this year, rather than cards. We might do cards next year, but I always have difficulty choosing.
dcs, good to “see” you online. *waves*
Cards as usual this year. I get good quality ones from charities like Aid to the Church in Need. This was the first time I have sent a letter with them, since we’ve had a very busy year and I have some sad news about my father’s health. The letter is definitely NOT a bragsheet – I had a couple of people check it for this before I printed it off. I’m not keen on only sending e-cards, you can’t display them on the mantelpiece.
yes, but I am deliberately waiting until after the 20th. I don’t need the rush during Advent, and I am using time to pray for those to whom I will send cards.
Yes, but maybe less. We’d love to send one to you, Father.
None. It is part budget and part disinterest and part laziness. I’ve had a trying fall with our oldest adjusting to kindergarten and finally getting his classroom changed. [All day K is ridiculous. Our parish followed the public school on that.] Oh yeah, terrible sinus illness for weeks. All is better now, but it has dampened my energy and initiative.
I take it back. I sent one to our boy’s godfather back at our orthodox (small o) parish in NoVa. He’s a kindly older man, faithful Catholic, who’s never married. He rated the exception. God bless him.
Some year, I’d just like to think only about Jesus’ birth and no gifts, cards, social events, or meal planning, etc.
I’m newly married, and my wife and I will be sending out Christmas cards for the first time. We’re only sending about 20, with cards from the All Saints Sisters of the Poor (a traditional Anglo-Catholic convent) (http://www.asspconvent.org/) .
About the same, 60. I hope that I can get more than 12 FSSP cards for next year. Otherwise, I may have to make copies. Think it’s legal?
Merry Christmas to all!
None. I took back the holyday from the holiday a few years back. Much more peaceful and recollected now. Don’t get me started on those “We’re were so awesome in 2008” Christmas form letters!
On line cards from a very lovely Franciscan ecard site but other than that, I have to telephone people so my elderly dad can talk to them and I can tell them my mom passed away. Better, I think, is a phone call. And much better than these crazy form letters people send.
I’m making my own cards (using Publisher), featuring Our Lady of Sheshan (China) on the front and running the proclamation from the Martyrology, as sung in St Peter’s at Christmas midnight, on the inside. Reaction from non-Catholcs has been good.
I always send out a card that has a picture of the Nativity scene, or Madonna and Child. Unfortunately, I don’t receive too many back. Most of the cards I receive have a snowman and say “Happy Holidays/Seasons Greetings”. :(
About the same number as last year, 40+
We send to close family and close friends. We send in two varieties. Traditional Catholic to those who are family, and also those who are friends that we know are religious. To those whom we know to be non-religious they get a toned down card, but one that still specifies Christmas.
I’m doing about 80 and it will be slightly expensive but it’s my first year with a real job so I like having money to spend at the holidays. Also next year I am going to the convent so this is my only year to do it. Might not get to everyone until Epiphany though.