The Christmas Card List

I spent Sunday afternoon putting the Christmas cards together and getting them ready for the post office. Thank the good Lord for Costco photo cards, Microsoft Word, and inkjet printer labels. The process sure has gotten easier in the 22 years we've been sending out cards.

One exercise everybody goes through every year is making the list, checking it twice, and finding out who's been naughty or nice. I also have to go through the list and remove those who are no longer here, something that's happening more frequently as the years go by.

I think the first time I had to make an adjustment like that was in 1994 after my grandmother passed away. From then through 2005 the list stayed pretty stable, with some new additions coming on and a few old acquaintances going away (and yes they've been forgot).

However, in what I think is probably a feature that comes along with increasing age, I've had to adjust the list each year since 2006 because of relatives who have gone on. In 2006 it was my mother-in-law. In 2007 my uncle Ray. In 2008 my father-in law. And this year it was my dad and two of my wife's uncles, Dave and Bud.

I'd really like to do the 2010 list without having to drop anybody.

Well, the cards are done and I drove them over to the post office and left them in their care. Since I don't have all your addresses, nor could I afford to send you all cards at current postal rates, you'll have to get my card electronically.

For 22 years we've always had a family photo on the cards (don't believe me - look here). This year for the first time we weren't able to get everyone together in one place at the same time for a photo. I guess that's what happens when you have adult kids and one of them away in college. Thankfully, Costco came to the rescue with a new card design that gave us the ability to put three photos on the same card.

Now that you know "the rest of the story", Merry Christmas!