Christmas Cards (Yes. I know that it is February.)

My husband, Phillip, and I don’t send “normal” Christmas cards.

It is actually all his fault. Before we were married, he was known for sending unique photo cards to his friends and family at Christmas time. The most shocking of these included him dressed in a tuxedo holding some mistletoe. Sounds innocent to you? Then you obviously don’t know where he was holding that mistletoe.



Dracula's Christmas

Me? I had always sent beautiful, traditional Christmas cards. Usually selected for their touching message and high glitter to cardstock ratio. Always Hallmark. Always in gold foil-lined envelopes.


Then I met this funny, goofy guy and we started dating. We were both pretty set in our ways since we were 30 years old, neither of us had ever been married, and we had both pretty much come to the conclusion that was the way it was going to remain. (That’s a story for another blog.) Somewhere along the way, I saw the infamous “mistletoe” card referenced above and, for some reason, I didn’t run screaming the other way. (Ah. The misguided bliss of new love.) That Christmas, he did an elaborate Dracula’s Christmas themed card and, again, I didn’t run. I love Halloween too, so I thought it was kind of cool.

Merry Christmas from the
Ghosts of Christmas Past

By the next Christmas, we were newlyweds. He explained to me that his family expected an off-the-wall photo Christmas card. I explained to him that my family expected a sane, glittery Hallmark card in a foil-lined envelope. I compromised and gave in – just this once for our very first card together since we had a nice, traditional (i.e., non-controversial) idea and a photographer who lived across the alley who could pull it off.

I ended up having to explain it to my parents. I had to explain it to my grandparents. My aunts and uncles were stunned. My cousins were confused. They didn’t come out and say so, but I know that they all considered it to be quite odd and wondered what had happened to the glitter and gold foil.

The next year rolled around and I soon learned that I was “stuck.” There were expectations to be met. Family members on both sides were asking questions about what kind of “crazy card” was coming this year? I argued that my family just “didn’t get it.” He argued that they needed to “figure it out.” I had to admit that it actually was kind of fun, so I gave in.

So, here we are, eighteen Christmas cards later. There isn’t any question any more. It’s happening. We can’t stop. There are expectations. We have a routine. We’ve learned that we have to have a firm idea by Halloween in order to make it work. Sometimes it is Phillip’s idea. Sometimes it’s mine. When it is his idea, I usually have to talk him down to something do-able and less offensive. (I can’t begin to tell you all of the different ways he’s tried to kill or injure Santa Claus, as an example.) The picture has to be shot by mid-November for the cards to be ordered and ready to go in early December. Even though no one on the receiving end may even notice, I always create return address labels that hint at the theme of the card inside the envelope. We’ve gone through a couple of very patient photographers. Our current one is a great guy who’s also a car club friend.

When all is said and done, some years are better than others, but they are always well-received.

 Here are some more of my particular favorites from the past nearly 20 years:



Have yourself a merry LITTLE Christmas!
May all of your BIG wishes come true!



Bad Claus, bad Claus, whatcha gonna do?

Slow down and enjoy the holidays!







 



Rebels without a Claus

Holiday greetings from scenic Indiana!



"Triple dog dare ya" to have a Merry Christmas!





He was right. In the end, my family did eventually “figure it out.” (Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they think that Phillip is the best thing since sliced bread.)

We have fun doing it. People have fun receiving them. As long as that’s the case, there’s no doubt that it will all be happening again next year.