Holiday Cards

Most of you reading this blog know that Mark and I were raised in very different traditions.  He was born in Brooklyn, NY to a Jewish family.  Except for a few years in the Miami area and then Brighton Beach, he spent all of his years in the Brooklyn neighborhood until he moved to Maryland permanently after college.  They kept a kosher kitchen and went to synagogue only on the High Holidays.  He never saw his family send out any cards of any kind. He says he didn't even know Hanukkah cards existed.  He was aware of Rosh Hashanah cards, but his family was not in the habit of exchanging them.

I was raised in an agnostic household.  My mother was raised in a Methodist house, and my father was raised in a Presbyterian house.  His mother later became a Jehovah's Witness, which is what I remember about her when she lived with us as I was growing up.  My parents did not raise Flyn or I in a church, but we did have a tree and presents at Christmas and lots of candy at Easter. I believed in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.  My only church experience as I was growing up was one day in some local church in Linthicum.  I remember being dropped off into some Sunday morning classroom where we colored some pictures.  That was it.  We did not go back.  I was never baptized. Last summer I walked past that church many times since it is still there and now only blocks away from Cindy's house.

Just to finish the story, my father married Jackie in 1974.  She is the daughter of a Methodist minister and a staunch Methodist still to this day. He was baptized in that church just before their wedding.  Eventually, he became a Methodist minister himself and had a circuit of six churches in rural central West Virginia, 3 on one Sunday and 3 different ones the next.  

Even though we were not religious when I was growing up, holiday cards were HUGE!  My dad was the administrator of a fairly large Federal institution.  He received what seemed like hundreds of Christmas cards from the many, many employees.  We also had a very large extended family.  My dad was the youngest of five, and my mother was the youngest of seven.  All those aunts and uncles and 39 first cousins sent cards, and we sent them right back at them.  Flyn and I used to collect the cards and tape them up all around the house as part of the holiday decorations.  It was fun!

Then I met and married Mark.  I wanted to share his religion, a decision I have NEVER regretted.  That's when I learned that he had no idea about sending out holiday cards.  So I do all of it.  We used to send out Rosh Hashanah cards, but our Maryland synagogue came up with an idea that made them unnecessary for all those friends.  Little by little I stopped sending out Rosh Hashanah cards entirely.  Now I send them to my adult children only.  Hanukkah cards were never a big thing for Mark.  As I said, he never even knew they existed.  Maybe they didn't when he was little.  They are much easier to find these days.  Thank you, Hallmark!  I send out Hanukkah cards only ro my adult children as well.

BUT, Christmas cards still go out by the dozens!  All my aunts and uncles are long gone, but I still mail out cards to some of my 39 first cousins.  Some of Mark's relatives are Christian, so they get cards.  Many of my former co-workers still get cards.  Cards in a school setting come in fast and furious from other teachers, the administration, and dozens of children. I used to tape them up in my classroom like I used to do at my home back when I was growing up.

All of this blog came about today because I just finished writing my 50 or so Christmas cards this morning.  They are all in the mail and happily heading to their new homes.  Some of these cards are going to Mark's high school and college friends and former co-workers.  Even though he says he doesn't care about cards, he asked me this morning if I was still sending one to Clara, and to Sharon, and to, of course, Vinnie and Rudy.  Yes, Mark, I have always sent your co-workers, friends, and relatives cards.

Many of our friends are sensitive and send us beautiful Hanukkah cards back.  Many of our friends and relatives make sure they send a non-sectarian style card that might say Season's Greeting or Happy Holidays.  I tend to go that way myself.  Some of our friends, co-workers, and yes, even relatives send cute baby Jesus cards with Merry Christmas in large letter.

I don't care what kind of card we receive.  I know that they are all sent in love and with warm wishes. I know that those folks are thinking about us at this time of year.  I truly appreciate the effort they have put in to buying, signing, addressing, stamping, and mailing the cards.  Some include letters to us about what they did all year (I love those!) and some include a photo of their kids growing over the years.  They are all wonderful, and I cherish each and every one.  I still display them around the house.  They bring back lovely childhood memories and are a real warm fuzzy to me.

So Happy Hanukkah, Season's Greetings, Happy Holidays, or Merry Christmas.  Pick one.  I'm sending it to you with love and warm wishes for a fabulous holiday season and a wonderful new year.