Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Life, Through Christmas Cards

I've always been big on sending out Christmas cards.  Since getting out of college and being "on my own" as an adult, I've sent out cards each year.  Some years I was so organized that I would mail them out on the weekend after Thanksgiving so mine was often the first card that people received.  Now I just try to get them out before the Army-Navy game so I don't have to bring the subject up to my navy uncle or my navy friends.  (Here's hoping that this weekend breaks an 11-game losing streak against Navy.)

This past weekend I was addressing cards and I noticed that I was seeing life's progression in the way I addressed the cards.  In my early 20's, most of my cards, except those to family, were addressed to individuals.  As the 20's started giving way to the 30's and my friends got married, cards started getting addressed to Mr. and Mrs. So-and-so, and then to The So-and-so Family. 

It's been a long time, but now the addresses are starting to change again.  Kids are graduating and leaving the nest, and card addresses are starting to tilt back towards Mr. and Mrs. So-and-so.  Even divorces are showing up, as in Adult So-and-so and Family.

Maybe a decade from now (hopefully more) I'll start addressing cards to individuals again, as the years start catching up to my circle of friends and family.

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