There are five generations alive in my family right now. I have two living grandparents and three grandchildren. I sit smack dab in the center of middle age. I have a view of generations before and after me. I am in a good place of remembering.

I remember the cards that my great-aunt Marguerite would make for Christmas. She was a graphic artist before I knew what that was. A woman working at IBM,- a trendsetter in our family who later relegated herself to fixing the family’s computers (before I married an IT guy)- she sent out the most clever cards with our faces in the Christmas scenes. My daughter, Shyanne, made a birthday card for our little Ayla with her tiny face pasted into the scene. Shyanne said she was making a card like Aunt Marguerite used to do, and that pleased me so much that she remembered. Cards are not just made of paper, they are made of magic and love and kindness.

As more and more of that precious generation passes on, I remember fondly the dozens of Christmas cards I used to receive. I still have one that my Grandma signed, her signature precious to me in her absence.

As with everything else, I blame social media for the demise of Christmas card writing. Why send a card when you “see” the person all of the time online and they know what your family looks like and is doing? I mourn the dozens of cards I no longer receive. Will my grandchildren know the fun of opening the mailbox in December to excitedly find sweetly sealed envelopes and handwritten script? Oh, what a joy it is. Truly, a gift in these busy times.

But hark! There is hope. My daughter is filling her address book with names. And her friend asked me for my address last year and I received a lovely card. The next generation is starting to embrace the old ways of connection and holiday fun.

“I will just send out a few this year,” I say. Forty cards later, I drop them off at the post office with excitement for the recipient to find a handwritten card in their mailbox. Because the love of friends, and family, and Christmas spirit lives on and we will keep these traditions going. Because a holiday card certainly makes the world a better place, one Christmas stamp at a time.

Want to exchange cards? Email me at KatieSandersWeaving@gmail.com and let’s exchange addresses. I’m so thankful to all of you that have been reading my blog (for over a decade, some of you!). It brings me great joy. Happy Holidays!