All the "supplies" for letter sending

I finished our Christmas cards the Monday before Christmas. That's 3 days before Christmas for those of you keeping track and probably not enough time for the post office to wing my letters from northeast Pennsylvania to the mailboxes of our loved ones. Sorry about that, to those who got our card late, and to the post office for adding to their burden.

It was well into December when I asked Davis, “Why am I procrastinating writing this Christmas letter?” He said, “I don't know but it's getting late.” I think I really liked the last letter we sent. I was afraid to write a dud. But, I charged in and wrote, resigning myself to a letter that was just OK. Except for putting the wrong name of the author Allen has taken to reading and saying he's worried about not growing (because he's NOT. It has been a long time since he grew any, but he's NOT worried) I think it turned out OK, about like I expected.

So, there I was, the precious minutes of 2015 ticking away, armed with a picture from our Thanksgiving trip to Washington, DC and a completed, somewhat mediocre, letter. Now, to find the ADDRESS LIST. Once I found it I was pleased to discover there were only about 15 addresses I needed to confirm or locate.

This part was fun. I emailed or facebook-ed those people (or their mothers) and asked for the recipient's correct address. I also included something newsy or asked what was happening on their end. I got back chatty responses, amazing updates and one slap on the wrist (apparently, I should just KNOW my cousin's address in Waco). It was a delightful week or so of blessed reconnection.

I love hearing from friends and family, seeing annual pictures of kids growing before my eyes, families expanding. I get especially excited when the cards are at least SIGNED by HAND. If they have a note included, wow! I could be in a good mood for a week.

All the while, I had started the PROCESS. We send out somewhere near 160 Christmas letters to 16 states and 3 countries. I feel like this is my chance to really connect with our dear ones, so I at least sign the letters (or get my husband and kids to) and I try to write a short note. I wish I could hand deliver them too, but the cold, overworked postmen will have to suffice.

Each day for a week I would turn on some Christmas tunes, light the Advent candles and sit down at the kitchen table. There I would address envelopes, write a note, label the back of the picture (want everyone to know which twin is which!), fold, lick and seal. I did all this while chain eating Hershey's kisses and promising Bobby that I would stop making friends so the LIST would stop growing.

Through the chocolate haze and concern that the letter was just too long, what I felt wasn't frustration or carpal tunnel or the sense that I was drowning. What I felt was thankful. Thankful that we could cover the expenses of copying a letter and picture and still be able to buy stamps. Thankful that I had had sweet contact with precious friends because I'm too disorganized to know their addresses. Thankful we used up a ton of envelopes from one of Bobby's past jobs. Thankful to hear the boys joyfully calling out names of friends and family while they put the stamps on (Hey! I've got the Barleys. I've got Aunt Sally!) Thankful that we have friends at all. Just thankful.

Our basket o cards

Of course I messed some stuff up in this year's Christmas letter adventure. I should have:

*noted where our picture was taken (with the statue of Einstein in front of the National Institute of Science in Washington, DC. No, it's NOT Samuel Clemens.)

*refused to rely on the Charlie Brown Christmas stickers, I mean stamps, to convey that this was a CHRISTMAS letter. Christmas stationery or at least red or green paper would have been nice

*had self-adhesive envelopes!!! Visions of George's fiancee, Susan, from Seinfeld licking all those cheap wedding invitations and DYING danced in my head. Maybe that's why I was eating the Hershey's kisses like crazy (note from my dear husband: “I got a really good deal on those envelopes. How was I to know it would take more than 4 years to use them all?”)

*had the boys proof read the letter before copying it

*had ALL my family write notes and sign letters – it doesn't have to be just me

*started earlier, and

*given the postman some sort of Christmas gift.

So, now as the chocolate has long since faded from my tongue, I'll put the cards we received with my scrapbook stuff, hoping to include them in our ongoing Christmas album; I'll resign myself to throwing away those last 3 letters I never found the addresses for; and I won't wait until next December for the flood of contact from those 16 states. I'll make it happen all year long.

I love the rebelliousness of snail mail, and I love anything that can arrive with a postage stamp. There's something about that person's breath and hands on the letter.

Diane Lane