Christmas Cards

One of my top five favorite Christmas traditions – and maybe even #1 on the list – is receiving Christmas cards. First off, I love (I mean I REALLY love) checking the mail box every day of the year anyway. Our mailman’s truck makes a specific noise and I can hear him coming down the street, and I get all excited to go check the mail. Some days, I even hear these lyrics in my head: “Oh-ho the Wells Fargo wagon is a-comin’ down the street, oh please let it be for me!”

And then, there’s Christmas and the greetings from so many people in my current and past life. (I get cards from former high school teachers, my brother’s ex-girlfriends, and my parents’ long-lost relatives.)  Mix that in with my joy at receiving mail on just a regular day, and December is joyous all around!

I can’t stand glittery cards (Ugh! It spreads like wildfire!), and I think sending a generic store-bought card with just your name signed inside is kind of boring. I like newsletters, but what I really LOVE is photo cards. What’s not to love? It’s the one time a year a family dresses up nice, puts their best face forward (or funniest face!), and sends smiles in the mail. I *love* photos and I *love* mail, so mix the two together and it’s euphoria for me. Hot diggity!

Years ago, I covered a piece of foam core board with fabric and tacked ribbons across it to hold photos. (Sorry for the poor lighting.)

This year, it’s annoying me because it has started to lose its tautness and won’t hold the cards very well. I started searching the Internet for ideas on how to display cards.  I like this one from Martha Stewart.

I also like this one from Country Living.

This one from Thirty Handmade Days is really a favorite too. 

But I went with the easiest option and dug out a roll of gold ribbon in the basement and hung it on the wall, using clothespins to clip the cards to the ribbon.

Then I wrapped ribbons around my cabinet doors.

I love how these turned out. After Christmas is over, I am going to borrow this idea on Apartment Therapy and put the photos inside the cabinets so I can enjoy them all year long.

Lastly, I wanted to link to a great book I got at the library. It is called Merry Christmas From…: 150 Christmas Cards You Wish You’d Received and it’s compiled by Karen Robert. The book features Christmas cards that were sent by real families. I love some of the ideas in the book and would love to try them for future Christmas cards for our family… ideas like messages on t-shirts, a copy of our kids’ letters to Santa, painted feet, or Photoshop techniques I’ve yet to perfect.

Happy mailbox checking, y’all!