“We
make a living by what we get but we make a life by what
we give.” ~ Winston
Churchill
Good
Morning!
The first-ever
Christmas card was posted in England in the
1840s, and the practice soon became an established part of the buildup
to the
Christmas holiday. Over
a billion
Christmas cards are now sent every year in the United Kingdom, many of
them sold
in aid of charities. By
starting early
in the season, sending holiday greetings is a chance to journal,
reflect, and
connect.
Here is my
system that helps me achieve my card-goal with
ease:
I purchase a
spiral notebook, about five inches wide by eight
inches high, with colored paper, or paper with some sort of nice feel
or
design. It needs to be spiral and
preferably also have a perforation mark to remove the pages easily.
On the inside
cover, I list all the people to whom I want to
send special letters. (I
have two card
lists – one for a non-personalized card with the standard Merry
Christmas wish,
and another list for people who I want to send a special message to.) I
then
keep this with me – all the time.
If
needed, I switch to a larger purse to keep this with me.
During unexpected
breaks in my day, such as waiting for a
doctor’s appointment, train rides, etc., I pull out my
notebook. I look through the names on the inside cover
and, almost always, I immediately think of something I would like to
share with
one of the people on my list. I then
turn to a blank page and begin writing.
I don’t worry about finishing my entire letter in one sitting; I simply
share the compelling “thought” of the moment.
I continue doing this, switching “people” as inspiration strikes.
Typically, my
letters end up being two-to-four pages in
length. (I am a
writer – would you
expect anything less?) When
I check my
progress weekly, if a letter is done, I remove it, please it in an
envelope
with THE ADDRESS AND THE STAMP, and tuck it in the front pocket of my
holiday
notebook. I then
cross the name off the
inside cover.
Your Turn:
This week,
begin creating your won holiday card-sending notebook and generating a
list of
people you would like to send a special greeting to.
Challenge yourself to send two to three
letters per week.
Today’s Affirmation:
I
slow down to connect with those I love this season.
