A Love Letter to Holiday Cards
I’ll admit it, I’m late to the party, and in this instance, the party is about sending holiday cards on time… Although when I think about it, I feel almost like an anachronism in my delight in sending paper through the mail to family (given and chosen), friends, and colleagues around the world. So, perhaps I get a little grace?
Growing up, when holiday cards started arriving, my mom would hang red ribbon on a wall at the entryway of our home, and every card would be taped to the ribbon—it was festive and a reminder of our family and friends around the world. It’s a memory that brings tears to my eyes…honestly, a tradition I haven’t thought about in years. The dozen or so holiday cards we received this year adorn our coffee and dinner tables. They are happy reminders of our connections.
In part, I send New Year’s cards because almost everyone I know likes the beginning of a new year. Whether you like the way the old one came together and you’re hoping for more of the same, or you’re really done with the last year and the new one brings hope or feelings of promise, it feels inclusive to wish everyone a happy new year, from both religious/spiritual and practical perspectives.
And, truth be told, I LOVE stationery and pens—I buy cards every time I visit a museum. I love receiving cards and letters–I grew up writing letters—perhaps in part, a consequence of attending sleepaway camp for 10 years… away from home for 8 weeks, I dialed home once a week to talk with my parents on a Sunday afternoon. So letters were a tangible connection to my parents and my friends back home. I wrote letters as an exchange student in France, maintaining my relationships while being away for a few months of my junior year of high school. I loved sharing my adventures. I wrote and received missives. It’s how I really got to know some of my friends, because we’d say things in letters that we might find almost too personal to share face-to-face.
And (you know me), I love to draw, so now, every year, I create a visual that encapsulates the year – notably the delights and adventures but also some of the challenges. I keep it real without getting heavy. This year, I found it difficult to write a brief note in each card. It’s not that my sentiments weren’t clear–it’s that being pithy after such a big year (personally and in this country) was difficult for me. I wished everyone on my list good health, finding moments of joy every day, and inner peace and abundance… and the truth is, I wish everyone hope, strength, a sense of belonging, great adventures (if they want them), and the year they desire.
I wish the same for you.
In this New Year’s card, I shared one of my favorite sentiments expressed by Mary Oliver,
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
I’d love to hear your answer.
And, I’m happy to share mine in return–we could even write it in a letter! (Did I say that I’m a
part of The Sunday Letter Project?) If you love writing letters, check it out, let me know what you think! If you’d like to receive a postcard or note card from my vast collection of stationery, send me an email with your home address, and I’m happy to oblige. You could be the person I write to this coming Sunday.
Wishing us all a year of good health, peace, finding moments of joy every day, and abundance.
Live every day!
The series:
support meaning-making and conversation around the tender areas of grief, loss, and transitions. On December 6th, I hosted, Experience the Alchemy of Nature, Ritual, and Creativity. It was a multi-layered and rich experience with women who were ready to explore, create, and share what was on their hearts on that day. The Padlet I created, which we could easily use to view everyone’s work, became a gorgeous gallery. Perhaps even more fascinating was listening to each person tell her story about the questions she was working with, the personal meanings of the materials she chose, how they contributed to the design, and their feelings upon completion.
The Death Cafés I host in my county and for a Creative Mornings Club are also inviting spaces for open, relaxed conversation. Last month we talked about broaching the topics of dying, death, and planning for quality of life with family, the challenges of working through unfinished business with a family member who has died, how often people don’t know how to talk with us about our grief, the devastating impact of loss of our close relationships, that grief isn’t linear and there isn’t a fixed timeline for healing, resources exist and yet we often forget to look for them as our focus becomes so focused—on our pain and grief. Every Café is different, dependent on who attends and what is on their mind.
I’m excited to offer Welcome in the New Year through Nature, Ritual, and Creativity on January 3rd at 11 AM ET online.
of life, I will offer an Appreciative Living Learning Circle, beginning on January 31st, for four weeks.
And, if you feel that one-to-one coaching is the best modality for you for these experiences, please reach out to me. If starting on any of these journeys is made easier by reading books or listening to podcasts, I’ve developed a curated list of resources. If you’d like a conversation to suss out what will best support you, or the list of resources. Send me an email or use my 
to embrace the question of how I will engage in them.
It’s going to:
