Why this Christmas theme?

I guess I should explain why I'm so hung up on Christmas right now. Well, Halloween is FINALLY over. I do not like that holiday. And, I don't think my mom liked it either. It seems we were at odds, year after year, as to what costume I or any of the children would wear. And it was left up to mom to think of something, other than a sheet over the head with two holes for the eyes.

But right now, I'm preparing for Christmas, as I usually do as soon as Halloween is out of the way. While I do nothing for Halloween, except hit the stores the day after and get reduced-priced candy, I'm concepting Christmas.

I explained concepting before, I'm sure, so I won't go through that again. But today is the first day of Christmas as far as I'm concerned. And I have gotten my Christmas craft supplies all lined up and am ready.

I remember making paper chains when I was a child, and mom taught me how to make snowflakes out of paper napkins. But the crafts today are little more sophisticated.

Every year mom would spend hours writing out Christmas cards. That was something I decided I wasn't going to do after I got married, especially if a phone call would do. So, until we moved to our current abode, I didn't do cards. But Alan wanted to get on the Community Board and so we decided that we should send Christmas cards to all residents. That started 5 years ago. As of today, most of my cards are addressed, and ready to go. In addition to the community cards, this year I'm going to make cards for a selected few people.

Now, don't get upset if you're not one of the selected. If you're reading this, you probably don't qualify, because Christmas greetings to you can be sent via e-mail.

Back on track -- After Christmas, Mom would take all the cards we received, then we children would make scrapbooks out of the pretty ones. Some had gold foil or silver foil behind the front of the card. Those cards would definitely go in the book. Back in the day, ribbons were a common embellishment on cards. Those cards would go into a scrapbook. Also, anything with glitter got put in the book.

So, I decided to sort of follow in mom's footstep and I am planning card days with my grandchildren, if time permits, and we will make cards because the last two years, I have cut out and saved those pretty cards that I thought would make good recycled cards.

The ability to e-mail many of my cousins has saved me postage and I can e-mail them Christmas greetings, but several of my cousins do not have e-mail, so for them I am making a card. No Christmas letter, though. That I have never done, and while I should never say "never", I never plan to do one. I enjoy reading them, but it seems like so much work.

Just read my BLOG.