I struggled with whether or not to send out Christmas cards this year. I don’t want to spread doom and gloom, but a card saying “Let’s be jolly” would just be a lie. Jolly, we are NOT. If I am going to send a message this holiday season, it needs to be honest yet encouraging.
So…after a lot of thought,
I finally ordered personalized photo cards with the following message:
“May you cherish the gift of family this holiday season and in the coming year.”
It’s nothing profound, and I have just ruined it for those of you who read this and who are also on my Christmas list. At least, if I never get around to actually mailing them, you will know what I meant to send. My intent is for my message to be in the spirit of giving rather than a simply yearly “hello”.
For me there is no more appropriate gift to send this year, except a reminder everyone about how important it is to cherish your family and friends.
Christmas should not be about the material gifts that we spend our money on; it should be about the time that we spend together, the joy we take in watching the people we care for most open up a card or gift and smile. In giving, we get so much more in return.
Life is precious and just because someone young, or relatively young, doesn’t mean that they will be here tomorrow. So cherish those moments and be sure that you give your presence to those who you care about.
Way to go Juls. You continue to peel back complexity and focus on what’s simple and important. You’re on a roll. Keep’em coming :-)
That is so true – so very true.
it’s a lovely message.
Thanks for the reminder that time is the greatest gift we can give and receive.
This is what Christmas is truly about…thank you for the reminder in the midst of all of this highly commercialized hoopla.
Thanks Juls.
Very true Julie! Perhaps you have something to offer in your suggestions (I know I am not really in the card giving mode this year with Tom and Fallo in Heaven. All the other jibberish seems to mean nothing.) Love you!
The hardest thing about letting go and going on….is the letting go and moving on, while still cherishing the memories. I think your message is perfect.
A perfectly simple, yet meaningful, sentiment for the season. Thanks for the reminder.
Your card will be a gift unto itself. People get so wrapped up in the gifts that they forget that the person giving and receiving the gift is of greater worth!