I can remember my mother getting out the red book from the kitchen drawer. In the book were names and addresses of family and friends. Some were crossed out several times with newer addresses underneath. Some were sad reminders of family members who were now long gone, yet their name and address still remained in mother's little red book.
Each day the mail box would be full of envelopes of different sizes and colors. I could not wait to see the card inside. My mother would then tape the cards around the doorway so all could see. Sometimes the cards held letters and photos. I especially liked those and hearing my mother on the telephone calling her mother to say, "Did you know I got a card from so and so today. You should see the kids. They have grown."
When I got married this was one of the things I looked forward to the most. Getting Christmas cards in the mail and sending my very own. I bought my own little book and wrote the names and addresses of friends and family inside. Now 24 years later, I too have many lines marked through with new addresses underneath.
I have a box full of cards that I have have kept from the first Christmas of my marriage. They are the ones that I have received each year. At the end of the season, I date them and place them in the box with the others. It is a fun journey of sorts to sit and go through the box each year and look at all the cards again.
In tradition of my mother's style of display, I too hang the cards up for all to see. Though sadly in the age of the internet and email, there are not as many as there once were. I however will continue to send my Christmas Greeting to all via the Christmas Card.
This is the fourth blog in the series by GeneaBloggers Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2012.
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