I got our very first Christmas card in the mail today. I didn't have the "normal" response - I cried. Then, I felt foolish and decided to get to the bottom of the matter. I didn't cry because I didn't like the person (I do very much), I didn't cry because it wasn't a nice card, it wasn't because I stayed up too late working on co-op/teacher gifts, it wasn't because my house is a wreck, it wasn't because my bathroom is so crowded by dirty clothes that you cannot see the floor. I cried because I have been slowly coming to the realization that I am not sending Christmas cards this year. In 1999 a friend of ours (an artist friend) sent out cards drawn by her kids. I was captivated. So, from 1999 - 2008 that is what we did. All of my kids (from birth on) has some sort of representation on the card. Last year, however, the card took a different turn. You see, we are not artists. My older two did not wish to have their artwork on display for all the world to see. So, my younger two did the drawing and my older two did the pennmenship. It just wasn't the same. In fact, we were even told that their decision was selfish and vain for with holding the joy our Christmas card brought. Well, I disagree.
I have wrestled with this the past few weeks and have not gotten a solution until today. Some years, we have done the card, the letter AND the picture (I know I am an over-acheiver). My motto is if you can't do something well (or the way I want it done) don't do it at all. So, for this year, this is where our Christmas card is falling.
Last night, while working on my stuff for co-op, I had to go into the "December" folder. There in a separate file were all of our cards - 1999 - 2008. I sat and marveled at each one and thought about how that card came to be. The reason I cried, I realize, is because it is the end of an era. We had a decade long run of our beloved Christmas cards. The kids used to joke that I was going to make them come home from college in time to work on our Christmas card. Yet, in a blink, that time has come.
So, Merry Christmas from the Nemitz Family.
2 comments:
As soon as I started reading this post I knew what had happened! The end of an era is indeed sad... and there are so many more to come, dear friend. But the memories you have to cherish are PRICELESS... and there will be NEW memories and traditions that you will grow to love as much. I loved your cards. And you know your kids will ALL do this with their own children, and your mantle will be full of drawings made by your grandbabies every Christmas. Won't that be something?!
I can honestly say that I have looked forward to the Nemitz Christmas card every year. I am sad too. Gosh, I'm just not ready for this. Now I want to cry. And we don't even sent cards....
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