'Writing Christmas Cards'

Come on, admit it, how many of you out there HATE writing Christmas cards? Well, I LOVE writing Christmas cards! What can possibly be more in keeping with the festive season than sitting down quietly with just your thoughts, a pen and a stack of Christmas cards and spending an evening or two writing to all of the people you value in your life? 

Like a lot of things in life, Christmas is essentially what you make of it and when the will is there to make it a special time it becomes a special time. I make mine enjoyable by buying a lot of (preferably blank inside) hand-made Christmas cards from Christmas fairs and setting myself the fun task of thinking up funny and or unique ways to decorate the inside of the cards and envelopes. For a few pounds you can buy packets of fun Christmas stickers and these are ideal for helping you make your cards fun and festive. O.k. so they are meant for kids but theres a child inside all of us and if you still retain the ability to keep in contact with the 'little guy or little girl' inside you it really helps you to get into the right mood to enjoy Christmas and all that goes with it!  As a LOT of people tell me, I am a pretty self-absorbed sort of guy (hence this blog!) so I think it does me good to have one time of the year when I have to focus on 'taking stock' and really sit down and think about the other people in my life and why I am so glad to know them. Saying nice things to people isn't all that cool in todays world of 'super professionalistic behavoir'.  We are constantly told that there are a million and one reasons why its not a good thing to be 'personal' when conversing with other people and so the human race has become more reticent about talking honestly about they feel with others. Say something nice to someone you love however and see if it makes them smile or not though is what I say! We all need a bit of love and appreciation in this world and I for one would rather someone risked upsetting me by saying something personal to me than thought better of it and chose to say nothing at all.

The art of writing Christmas cards also goes a LONG way back and I like the idea of 'touching base' with something so many of my ancestors would have done.  Sensing a real connection to your roots is another thing that makes Christmas Christmassy and once you get the ball rolling you will be surprised how your smiley, persona attracts attention. Even miserable old me got asked out on a date once by a lovely lady after a 'particularly smiley Christmas dressing up like Santa session' made me seem like an attractive proposition!
So, this Christmas give getting into the spirit of the thing a go. You may not quite rival me with my 'silly grin and bouncing off the walls attitide' at first but the glowing embers of tradition and togetherness will start to get hotter and in spite of what anyone tells you about a text or an e mail, there is nothing more Christmassy than hearing the sound of a bundle Christmas cards being pushed through your letterbox...

P.S.) If you like the cards displayed here the first of them comes from http://mjcraftsdesignstudio.blogspot.co.uk/2005/10/here-nowchristmas-handmade-greeting.html and the second I found here http://ellieshandmadecards.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/a-few-more-christmas-cards.html Many thanks to both parties!