My Christmas Card to You

It’s been quite a few years since I sent out Christmas cards. I still have a book of 37 cent (2002) Christmas stamps and paired 2 cent (2006) stamps, so the thought was there, but execution was lacking, or spirit was.

I do feel bad for not reciprocating the warm holiday greetings shared by so many, and especially by those who have faithfully carded me for years. This week I received my annual greeting from Clint, one of my college roommates from “the Ruggie House” in Tucson. It’s got to be nearly 30 years I’ve received a very personalized greeting from Mr. Miller. Clint’s from Chicago, so his catch-ups over the years have touched upon “da bears,” “da bulls,” and “da Sox,” both white and red. You, my friend, will get a card next year.

My lack of an annual Christ-mas-marketing campaign does not mean targeted marketing has also ceased. Each year, my children and Mom receive individual cards with loving sentiments…This year I needed one more courier of holiday hopes and dreams and the search for that (hopefully recycled) conveyance has been daunting… They may as well stack Christmas cards between the Mozzarella and Provolone! Oh, the cheesiness! I tortured myself with about 100 of these folded fictions, thinking, “who says that?” “I’m hooked on you?” That card should feature a bloodied big-mouth bass, but I digress… They even have “troubled relationship” cards now… They’re those long, narrow narratives that start out like, “I know my 10 11 12 mistresses trouble you, but honey lighten up, it’s Christmas!”

Anyway… For the most part, these “greeting” cards help people who can’t find words of their own, and there is my plight. So, failing to find the words, here are some cultural cues to the crackling fire warming my heart and soul this year:

• George Winston’s “December.”
• Personally delivered Christmas cookies.
• Old Man Marley reunited with his estranged family toward the end of “Home Alone.”
• A long city walk.
• “I wanna live again!” – Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
• “2000 Miles” by the Pretenders.
• Giving.
• “You feelin’ strong, my friend? Call me elf one more time!”
• Christmas parties with loved ones.
• “Rigging up the lights…”
• The occasional morning commute.
• A Special Olympics donation received as a gift from co-workers!
• Matching it with my own donation.
• The Grinch’s heart growing three sizes…
• John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (War Is Over).”
• A hand to hold.
• Charlie Brown’s gang singing “Christmas Time Is Here.”
• A North Pole payoff to keep my son off the Naughty List.
• Burglarized Cheeze-Its.
• For that matter, inert cheese…
• A choir singing “Oh, Holy Night.”
• The joy of watching my daughter and her daughter prepare for Christmas.

Big Papi: “Who’s coming tonight?”
Maddy: (Thinking…)
Impatient Big Papi: “Santa Claus!”
Maddy: “is coming to town!”

Megan was complaining last night about how difficult it is to buy for me. I really don’t want any stuff. I have stuff. My gift this year will be watching my presents open their presents…

I’m sorry I can’t string together my own figurative popcorn and cranberries to describe feelings this year, but I hope even for a moment, you can feel them too.

Oh, one more thing about my Christmas this year… It won’t be blue.

Merry Christmas