In Defense of Christmas Cards

One of my very favorite holiday traditions is giving and receiving Christmas cards. I just love seeing what everyone is up to and how much everyone has grown (up and out) over the years. It truly brings me a sense of peace and joy...that is, after I have finished putting together my cards. They sure are a lot of work! Even the simple task of getting a picture taken can be quite the feat. My thanks go out to my sister-in-law who agreed to take our family photos with her nice camera...she probably did not know what she was in for! Hundreds of clicks later and we thought we had a couple of options! Thanks for sticking with us Annie. The picture is actually the easiest part of the card. The next part is drafting a letter and figuring out ideas for the comic...I don't even want to tell you how many drafts this whole process takes. But, I can tell you that I am always so thrilled when I have a final copy! Then, of course, I just have to go through the address book, update, create labels, address, stuff and lick. The truth is that it is a ton of work and a ton of hours. And yet, I continue to do it every year. You might think that it is because of a tradition my family has had going for years that I would hate to break (see their card below too), but I think it is more than that. I think the card is such a great souvenir of our year's highlights. My kids can't wait to read it and see themselves in the comic. So, in a way, I do it for them. And while I may not love the process, I LOVE the product! Plus, I love seeing everyone else's cards too. So, I guess we will continue to soldier on. But, for this Christmas season, I am glad that we can call this the Reber Christmas Card--final draft-2012. Enjoy.