Bring on the Christmas cards

This infatuation is admittedly puzzling, but very clear. I absolutely love receiving Christmas cards. I get excited about great designs or cleverly formulated letters (in my experience the most humorous cards are written by men), revel in seeing family photos of loved ones, and truly do enjoy reading about each year in review.

While most people are more or less indifferent to Christmas cards, there are plenty who mock their intentions and methods. I get those jokes, I really do: staying in touch with people you rarely if ever speak to or see, dolling everyone up in matching outfits and posing among autumn leaves, writing gag-worthy letters bragging on each family member's academic and sports-field achievements, etc. I can make fun of Christmas cards with the best of them, yet come December, I start checking my mailbox nearly every day hoping to find a plethora. (Our usual mail-retrieving frequency is about twice in a good week, partly because our mailbox is a block and a half away. There is a set directly across from our driveway, but the one we were assigned is around the corner and down the street. Lame.)

I even head to the Christmas card display area in other people's homes. I like looking at the different layouts and photos, and seeing if we know any of the same people. But Lord have mercy on the mutual friend who sends a card to my host and not to me. (Just kidding. Mostly.)

This year I have a new card-displaying device. Actually I bought it last year at Pier One, but my husband complained about it being a waste of money (it was ten bucks), so I set it aside to return. Only I never returned it. So this year I cut the tag off and put it to use! So I will enjoy seeing my Christmas Card collection on my wall for several weeks. I suppose this is a once-a-year equivalent of displaying all your "friends" on MySpace. They aren't necessarily people you maintain any regular social contact with, but oh my, look how many there are! You are so popular! Having Followers of my blog would make me feel popular too, but since none of you are willing to publicly admit that you read this, I'll have to continue deriving my sense of self-worth from the number of Christmas cards I can display in my little wire rack.

So keep them coming, friends!

PS: We also have Madelyn's birthday cards on there for now, so don't be alarmed at the cartoon teddy bears and florescent pink princess.