I think this is my third year that I haven’t sent a card. Instead of sending out a card, I have created one and posted it on social media. I have printed a couple copies over the years to hang with our other cards we receive and to let the kids have one to hang on their walls or keep. I have also printed a couple and mailed them to Chuck’s grandparents. But for the most part, I am not a sender of Christmas cards.
When the kids were little, we sent more out. I think I even sent some after we got married. But as the years went on and our lives became more hectic, I realized that it was no longer bringing me joy to send them out. It was just one. more. thing. I had to add to my To-Do list during the holiday season and I was not interested.
Now, I am a self-proclaimed Scrooge when it comes to Christmas. I don’t like getting out decorations (it feels like too much added clutter), I have my mom come over to decorate the tree with the kids, I take things down as quickly as possible….See, Scrooge. But it didn’t occur to me not to send one. I just figured I HAD to. Until my genius husband said to me “does sending out holiday cards make you happy?” “No.” “Then don’t send one.” *Mind Blown*
So I needed the obvious put in front of me to realize that the world was not going to end, I was not going to lose all of my friends (although I have received fewer cards over the years…because fewer people are sending them or because I haven’t been sending the cards to them) and the holiday season would go on without adding this extra bit of stress.
Now I know what you are thinking. “Andi…how could you?! I love seeing holiday cards, and getting them and hanging them up!” Or “don’t you know there are companies and services that you can plug in all your addresses and they will address the cards and such for you?”
Well, I love seeing cards, too. But I am not a sentimental person and I don’t save all the cards I get each year. I usually take a picture of all of them hanging and then let the kids keep and play with whichever ones they want. I also feel like you probably see enough of me and my family on social media and don’t need me hanging on your wall. And…my mom and dad usually send out cards that include pictures of us, and usually letters that tell you everything we have been up to for the year. So I don’t feel like I need to do it.
Second, yes, I do know there are services out there. It isn’t the labeling that bothers me. I have a spreadsheet with all my addresses saved in it that I update and then just print on labels. And I do this for our return address as well. So I just have to stick a bunch of stickers on it (stamps are stickers, too). It isn’t that I have to (or choose to) label them, it’s finding time in my day to actually DO IT.
The next thing you are thinking is “but Andi, you’re a stay-at-home mom. You have all the time in the world to do whatever you want. And that could include sending (and preparing and finding pictures and proof-reading) a holiday card to me!”
*Slight pause here while I roll on the floor laughing at this statement*
Yes, I do currently stay at home with the kids (who aren’t even home all the time because…school), but did you know….I have a remote job with a law firm that I have worked at for almost 6 years? And in the last year, I took on more responsibilities with them? I also am starting another small job with a local company? I am trying to learn programming? That I like my house to not be a pig sty once in a while? I volunteer at my kids’ schools quite often? (This list could go on all day.) Being a “stay-at-home mom” DOES NOT MEAN that I have all the free time in the world.
Well, that took a turn.
I guess I just wanted to say that I don’t want to send out holiday cards right now. Maybe that will change in the future, but for now, this is what is right for me and my family so everyone survives the holiday season.
Love you all, and I love seeing your holiday cards. But please only continue to send them because you want to and enjoy sending them. Don’t send them because you feel an obligation to do so!
I will leave you with our virtual 2019 holiday card.
