Christmas in September

 

If Costco, Sears and other stores here can put out their Christmas decorations for sale in the middle of September, then what is so strange about making out my Christmas cards now?

Actually, for me it was a necessity to finish my Christmas cards so early.  I am taking a short trip to Ohio to cast my ballot when early voting at the Board of Elections begins in October.  I will take my cards with me, go to the post office and spend a small fortune on stamps, and give the cards to a friend to send off after Thanksgiving.

I received my cards from the printer a couple weeks ago, and I immediately started making them out.  One hundred cards was the minimum number that the printer will do, although I don't need that many.  Last weekend I finished, and I have 56 cards to send.  A dozen of them will be headed to cousins in England and Switzerland; the rest are going to friends throughout the United States.  Later in the year, I will make out several more to hand-deliver to people here in Mexico.

I realize that sending Christmas cards is sadly a dying tradition, and with the cost of postage these days it is understandable.  But I am a dinosaur and persist with the tradition.  I receive cards from about half of the people on my list, but I know that even those who do not send out cards enjoy and even expect my card.  They look forward to seeing the new painting that I have done that year.

It seems to take about a month for mail from the U.S. and other countries to arrive here.  The Christmas season in Mexico lasts until January 6th, so I tell people whose cards don't arrive until early January that they were not really late.  And even if they arrive later in January, their holiday greetings are still very much appreciated.  On the other hand, mail from Mexico to the U.S. takes up to three months.  That is why, since moving down here, I give my cards to a friend when I make a return visit to Ohio.

In 2027, however, I don't have any plans to travel to Ohio, and I will have to send my cards from here.  That means next year the cards will be sent out at the end of summer!