A Different Approach

Every year, it’s the same. I spend quite a bit of my time in the creation of either an informative and interesting (but not too long) Holiday letter OR I comb through the multitude of pictures amassed during the year and design a photo Holiday card with an appropriate quote or quip contained therein. Or, in some years, I’ve done both. Then, I dutifully tromp out to the Post Office to buy a sufficient amount of (non-religious) Holiday stamps; typically Snowmen or other non-threatening (or non-insulting) icons.

I’d say in the past I’ve sent out upwards of 75 of these greetings, knowing full well right off the bat that there will be several that won’t reply in kind:

· Older family members. I cut them some slack, however.

· Certain deadbeat family members and/or friends. They don’t get any slack. After a year of not hearing from them, they came off my list. I have to admit, it does surprise me, year to year, whom I don’t hear back from.

· Jewish friends. I’ve cut them slack in the past but upon thinking of it, why is it that Jewish people cannot send out a Holiday greeting? It doesn’t have to say “Merry Christmas”; it can simply be a letter or a picture or a card with a pretty red cardinal in a snowy tree branch. No more slack to be given.

This year, as I prepared to start “the process”, I have to admit my heart just wasn’t really in to it. It’s not that I don’t have any Holiday spirit, I do, I really do. Case in point, I made a huge batch of Cranberry Liqueur to share with seven lucky recipients. Back before Thanksgiving, I began my Holiday baking and ended up with dozens upon dozens of cookie goodies, including:

· Peppermint Shortbread

· Snickerdoodles

· Double Peanut Butter

· Butterscotch Pecan Oatmeal

· Mint Brownies

· Rollo Prezel and Reese’s Pretzel

· Bourbon Pecan Toffee

These I packaged up and shipped out/delivered last week, leaving a sufficient quantity for The Kid’s consumption and to share on Christmas Day.

But, when it came down to it, I just didn’t feel like doing the annual Holiday greeting from the B’s. As I was poking around upstairs in the office, I came across a TON of unused Holiday cards; either leftover from years past or the several different packages of cards I routinely receive from the Humane Society. And, I got to thinking; “Well, let’s do it differently this year”.

So, with the exception of immediate family (who will receive cards I selected for them personally at my local Hallmark), anyone else who receives a greeting from the B’s will receive one of the cards I discovered in our office. Not that there is anything at all wrong with them; they just were not purchased specifically to be sent THIS year.

And, I have another rule, too. I’m not sending a card unless I get a card first. I know, how Scroogie is this, huh? But, seriously, considering how many cards/greetings I typically receive AFTER mine have gone out, I’m fairly certain that others do this exact same thing.

Not counting immediate family, we’ve so far received NINE, which means I have so far sent out NINE. Given we are 13 days away from Christmas, this is a somewhat paltry amount, but, it is what it is.

Oh, and cutsie Holiday stamps? Forget it. I’m using my normal stamps (it just so happens that the Forever stamps now have wintery visions of pinecones and such; it wasn’t planned).

I know Holiday are supposed to be about a lot of things that they never turn out to be about. Like, giving rather than receiving, kindness, being together with family, and, of course, the children. So, maybe I’m being ridiculous with my new stance on Holiday greetings, but, at least I’m not wasting my time, either. I’ve more time to wrap those presents for the children, bake more goodies if I so desire and open up the refrigerator several times a day so I can hear my Snowman in the ‘Fridge telling me to shut the door.

Who says I’ve not got the spirit? It’s just a different approach this year, is all!

Mrs. B