Christmas Cards. Who doesn’t love opening their mailbox to find a beautiful envelope with seasonal greetings written inside? The Christmas card is so many things. It’s a beautiful image, an inspirational message, and a wish for the season all in one small envelope. Bonus: it’s also something other than bills, advertisements, or coupon packs. Christmas cards truly embody the art of the written note. But wait! There’s more!
I recently read that receiving a hand-written card or letter in the mail creates the same emotional experience as receiving a gift. Why is that? I think it has to do with the digital age in which we live. Emails, text messages, and DMs are how we communicate these days. I rarely even see anyone use their phone for phone calls. And so, when we receive a hand-written note in the mail, it is truly a keepsake we receive, a letter written by a loved one’s hand, a tiny piece of them we can hold dear to our hearts.
What makes a handwritten note so special?
First, it is a demonstration of effort. We all know sending a text message, an emoji, or a gif are quick and simple. It’s easy to opt for this method of communication in our fast-paced world because it’s simple, it’s quick, and it’s immediate.
But when you write a note or letter by hand, it shows you took the time and made the effort to sit down and put thought to paper; to intentionally contemplate what you want to express. The effort put into handwriting a letter or note expresses a level of care and consideration beyond typing a message on a keyboard. It becomes a labor of love, and an intentional expression.
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It’s a personal representation
Handwritten letters have an emotional resonance that digital messages often lack. A physical note or letter becomes a keepsake. The experience of receiving a handwritten note or letter and unfolding its pages can evoke a spectrum of feelings. These hand-written notes or letters can express nostalgia, joy, and excitement.
It seems to me that text messages, DMs and emojis become noise. The message gets lost in the digital clutter of our lives. How many messages do we receive in any given day? I personally receive between 50 – 75 text messages each day. Emails often number in the hundreds. But how many hand-written cards or letters do we receive? Zero? One? maybe two – in a month. You can see how a hand-written card, note, or letter can quickly stand out as something special.
No time like the present
I find the Christmas season to be an opportune time to send these little pieces of personal attention. You don’t have to purchase expensive cards or be a prolific writer. Often, beautiful purchased cards come with an inspiring sentiment pre-printed within. All you need to do is sign your card with a greeting and send it to post.
Some of the most simple cards we’ve received and sent have very generic hand written greetings. Greetings such as, “Merry Christmas,” “Best Wishes,” “With All Our Love,” or “Thinking of you this Christmas,” are all you need to add before signing your name.
It is our tradition that each person signs their own name to our Christmas cards. When our children were too young to sign their names, we would add it into the closing ourselves, but John and I both always individually sign our names to our cards. As our children got older, we gave them the option to sign themselves, or just be added to our greeting. Some years they wanted to sign, others they did not. We didn’t force it on them either way.
Some years we write individual inscriptions to each recipient’s card, other years we simply sign with a heart-felt Merry Christmas and our names.
Why not start today?
How long has it been since you’ve sent a hand-written note, card or letter to someone? It is such a pleasant surprise to receive, and always a blessing to send. You are giving a piece of yourself, a hand-written note of your friendship, love, or memory. To you, it is a small task, but to the recipient, it may mean the world.
A couple of years ago I met a lady through work and we became fast friends. She was an encourager and had the sweetest heart. We were co-workers for a little over a year, and when she left our company, we remained close friends; sending frequent greetings, birthday cards, and Christmas cards each year. Last year, she passed away unexpectedly, but tucked safely in my desk drawer are cards she sent me full of encouragement and friendship. I miss her dearly and think of her almost daily. When my heart grows sad with sorrow, I often reach into my desk drawer and pull out those hand-written cards and notes of encouragement. I cannot tell you how many days those notes have gotten me through – and how treasured they are. I will hold them in my dearest possession for the remainder of my days.
If I could send each of you a hand-written note I would. In it I would tell you how I appreciate you, how you uplift me, and how treasured you are. I would encourage you to show kindness to others, to be grateful for the little things, and to look forward to the days to come. I would say:
Dear Friend,
I am so glad that you are part of my life. You are an encouragement to me. You inspire me to keep moving forward, and to continue to pursue my dreams. You are a piece of my life I simply cannot imagine living without.
I hope you know how special you are. You are a loved and treasured reminder of joy and friendship. Do not be afraid to share your individual personality with others. You are special and have so much to share.
I wish you all the best in the days to come. I wish you all the happiness you deserve, all the love you need, and all the peace on earth.
With Love, Your friend,
Billie
Additional Resources:
Here are a few more ways you can send personal greetings to those you hold close to heart.
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