Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Christmas Card Contests are Sweeping the Nation

I love the way quality paper feels in my hands.  Its sturdiness assures me that whatever art ends up on it, whether tirelessly written or absentmindedly doodled, it will somehow survive.  Dozens of cards decorate our door frames.  My favorites are always designs printed on heavy stock, in bright colors, and clever fonts.

The cards have been hanging here for weeks and I have read them, studied them, all several times.  I reach up to open one that glitters with superficial snow.  It is pretty, but too glitzy for me.  I smile when I am reminded who sent it.  Mom's grown harp students still send greetings at Christmas, years after their last lesson in this very living room.

"Hey, Rach, where's the one from Uncle Eddie and Kip?"  I ask my sister as I wander into the dining room, my eyes fixed upon the rows of cards.

"No discussing your favorites, girls.  I want one of my picks to actually place this year."

"Dad, I was merely asking where a card was, not disclosing how many points I was planning to award it.  Sheesh."

"Kristin, it's in here, on the back of the door."  My sister jumps up the three small steps from our family room into our kitchen.  "Hey, when we're finished with this can you help me pick out my outfit for Leah's New Year's party tonight?"

"Most def.  You're gonna be tote gorg."

Rachel cheers, "Abbrevs are sweeping the naish!"

Mom stops her, "Abbrevs are what now?"

"Abbreviations are sweeping the nation," our nearly identical voices reply in unison.

"Of course they are.  Thom, what are these?"  Mom holds up a stack of neatly cut slips of paper she found on the kitchen table.  Dad's three ladies gather around and wait for his defense.

"What?  Why are you all looking at me like that?  I pre-printed ballots this year so I could clearly determine a winner.  When I let you draw the lines and scribble the points it was impossible."  

Mom, Rachel and I collectively roll our eyes all while grinning.  We love that Dad still writes as precisely as the nuns taught him.  We love that he instituted an annual Christmas card contest to ensure each card was appreciated.  We love that he places gift wrap bows on the winning cards and saves them to hang up in following years.  We love that this tradition has held so strong and so fast that our family always receives the most beautiful cards.  Our relatives and friends knowingly send thoughtfully chosen "entries" each year.  

"The mail is here!" Rachel hollers to us as she skips outside to the box.  When she returns she shuffles through the envelopes.  "No new cards today.  Let the voting begin!"


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24 comments:

  1. Hot diggity that's a fun post. I am totally going to do that. We always play with the cards and see if our kids can name the people or the children in the pictures. But your game is awesome. And I love, love, love abbrevs. Naish? That's awesome. Or awes.

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    1. High praise! Photo cards have become v. popular and so that might put a bit of a dent in doing a contest the way we did. You could have two winners...one for traditional cards and one for photo. Glad you liked the post!

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  2. What a wonderful family tradition!

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    1. It was a good one. We did it for nearly 20 years until my sis and I moved out.

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  3. A Christmas card contest is such a fun idea! Thanks for sharing your tradition!

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  4. Ha! So fun! We do similarly here.. picking our favs and our least favs, but you guys take it the next level. i think you should send out trophy 'cards' of course. :)

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  5. I love your family just from reading this post! What a great tradition you guys have. I have always been fascinated by holiday cards, and what people choose to put on them.

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  6. What a cool tradition! My kids speak in abbreviations all the time, too, usually related to video games, and I don't understand a word of it.

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  7. I love this tradition. What a great idea! You're making some priceless memories together.

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  8. What a fabulous family tradition! I love the details, especially of your father's attention to detail and your family's obvious joy in being together. Great story!

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  9. What a great way to create fun memories with your family!

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  10. What an absolutely brilliant tradition!

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  11. Awww, I love this idea! And I love the way you told the story. :-)

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  12. Yours sounds like a fun, close family. I like your family tradition!

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  13. Seriously? This sounds like the best family tradition EVER!!

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  14. I love the love I feel in this post. :)

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  15. That is such an awesome tradition!

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  16. Love the Christmas card game, and your Dad sounds presh. That's an abbreviation, right? :)

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  17. I bet you think of your childhood Christmas with every card you open as an adult.

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  18. What a beautiful tradition! I love this! I always feel like we discard the cards too soon...

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  19. Just love this, in many ways.

    As we were putting holiday decorations away this year, the husband opened a box and found piles of old Christmas cards and..the lecture began. Why was I saving them? Do you need these? Are you a closet hoarder?

    Try explaining to a husband about saving memories. Try explaining how cards from years ago were so much more elaborate in their design and meaningful expressions printed inside.

    I didn't explain. Just moved the box into my office closet...so I can hoard my memories.

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  20. What a great tradition to share with your family!!

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  21. I love this idea!! What a fun tradition!

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  22. late on this, but yes, apprevs are sweeping the naish. Tots.

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