christmas cards

I absolutely L.O.V.E. Christmas cards. 

Love them. 

Love. Love. Love.

 Insert "heart" emoticon.

Every year it's a bit of a tradition for me. I take all of the previous year's Christmas pictures (and wedding save the dates, baby announcements and graduation pics we acquire over the year) off of my basement door in the kitchen. I put all the pictures in a gallon size Ziploc bag and label them for the correct year. As we drag out the Christmas tree and tubs of decorations, I find all the previous years cards and look through them.

Then, every day when I get home from work, I check the mailbox with great anticipation. Because you know what? There are cards (not bills, junk or anything else in there) from people we love dearly. I hang them on the door in the kitchen and I look at their beautiful/handsome faces every single day. It's a reminder of all the people God has given us the privilege of crossing paths with over various seasons of our lives.

Some people get bent out of shape about Christmas cards. They think that people are fake or only give the good and not the bad. I see it differently. Sometimes I get a card and know that it's been a really, really hard year for that family. It's all they could do to get a family picture and actually put them in the mail. You now what? I'm going to pray for them when I see their picture every day. 

Sometimes we get a Christmas card from a family that we haven't gotten a card from in several years because it's been a really bad/hard couple of years. Then a card arrives and I see God's redemption and hope and a story of a family that fought for where they are now. A family that has grown and conquered lots of obstacles. I celebrate with them.

Sometimes we get a card from a family that has just had a darn good year. I'm so thankful they've had a year they can celebrate with others.

Sometimes we get cards from our actual family members that we would love to see more often. I love getting cards from them because that's what we are - FAMILY! And they are just as much friends as they are family. I want them on my kitchen door.

All that to say, for the first time in 14 years, we are not doing Christmas cards. I am so sad about it! We are saving every penny we can this season to take the kids to Disney in January. Christmas cards and stamps are just not in the budget for us this year. If we were doing cards, it would probably be this picture . . .

Love,

Ben, Laura, Ted (10) & Sophie (7)

So what I'm saying is, don't take us off your list if you usually send us a card and you don't get one from us this year. We'll be back at it next year. We love you and we're thankful for the ways God has woven our lives together. Merry Christmas. We love you!