I love sending out Christmas cards every year. More than sending them out, I love it when they arrive in the mailbox. With anticipation I open them, savouring the little messages the sender has written inside.
Several years back, I began saving the cards, placing them inside the Christmas box when we dismantle the tree, and I’ve been saving them ever since. 
Off they go for another year to the attic, forgotten until next year rolls around. When it comes time to decorate the tree, I take out the cards and read the little messages inside. Today, I came across a card that an elderly friend had sent me several years back. Sadly, she’s no longer with us, but her little message still warmed my heart and brought the memories of her warmth and kindness back to me.
Today I received a card from Pam Chamberlain, the editor of the Country Roads Anthology. Along with her thanks for my participation in the anthology, there was a little note letting all the contributors know that Nimbus has plans of printing more copies of the anthology when April rolls around. Yay Pam!
Next year when I take my cards out of the Christmas box I’ll come across Pam’s card and the memory of the time spent working on the anthology with her will become another fond memory for me to look back on.
Pam has now started a site of her own, and is preparing to put together another anthology. You can find her here.
Congrats Pam, not only has your hard work been instrumental in your success, but your talent, kindness and determination to keep going. Best of luck with your next project. You can be sure that I’ll be thinking of you each Christmas when I take out my collection of cards.
Laura Best 
writerwoman61
/ December 21, 2010I keep all our cards too, Laura…I’m a bit of a sentimental fool!
Wendy
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2010I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being sentimental, Wendy, and certainly nothing foolish about it. Of course this is coming from another sentimental fool! LOL
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joylene
/ December 21, 2010I’m so happy to hear this. I’ve been saving my Christmas cards since 1991. I stick my very favourite ones on our fireplace; it’s brick. I have all the cards my mother ever gave us. I have the last cards our sons Jack and Jody gave us. Someday I’ll be gone, but thinking about my sons reading through these cards makes me very glad I decided to save them.
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2010I’m sure you treasure those cards, Joylene and you’re right, those who come after us will also be able to enjoy them. Glad to hear I’m not the only one saving Christmas cards.
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Pam Chamberlain
/ December 21, 2010Laura,
I’m sentimental, too, and I think saving cards is a wonderful way to relive old memories. On my desk I have the last Christmas card I received from a friend who died of cancer not too long after. When I received the card, I’d had no idea she was ill. The card has a cheery British robin on the front and looking at it always makes me smile and remember my friend.
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Laura Best
/ December 21, 2010Thanks for sharing this story, Pam. Being able to look back and remember those who are no longer with us always makes me glad to have saved those cards.
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Tracy
/ December 22, 2010Thanks for visiting my blog today. I like your post here. It may sound funny, but I also save cards from one year to the next, and then cut them up and make home-made gift tags out of the pretty designs on the front of the cards. My uncle writes a Christmas Poem every year, and I always save his cards. I would save more long-term if there were special messages inside, but most people simply sign their name with no personal note. Merry Christmas!
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Laura Best
/ December 22, 2010Hi Tracy, thanks for dropping by. My daughter sometimes makes tags from old Christmas cards and I have friends who use them for card making and scrapbooking. It’s a great way to reuse them. You’re right, not everyone puts in a personal note.
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V.V. Denman
/ December 23, 2010My family and I give/receive very few cards any more. Almost everything is electronic. Your post makes me yearn for days gone by, but I suppose ecards could be saved as well. 🙂
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Laura Best
/ December 23, 2010I guess I’m old-fashioned because I prefer paper, but I’ve received some e-cards that were pretty spectacular as well. It really is the though that counts, the fact that someone took the time to send one.
I’m sure in time to come a paper card will be a thing of the past.
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Lisa
/ December 24, 2010I haven’t time the past decade to send out the cards so over the years the cards received have dwindled. However, I have a little pile of them I have kept and some of them are from people who have moved on in their journey to another place. These cards I treasure the most as it keeps our loved one alive. It is like they are wishing us a blessed holiday and that they will be there in spirit! Nothing like ink and paper to keep those memories and loved ones alive!
Merry Christmas Laura! I haven’t gotten to your book lately – my life is crazy busy but I hope to have time over the holidays! Take care!
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Laura Best
/ December 24, 2010Hi Lisa, thanks for subscribing to my blog and for leaving a comment! I like what you say about ink and paper keeping our memories and loved ones alive. It is so true.
Merry Christmas, Lisa and all the best in 2011!
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