Merry & Bright: Celebrating Christmas Every DaySample

It’s a Wonderful Life

“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others.” — Bob Hope

A common tradition that people participate in during the final month of each year is sending out Christmas cards. The Christmas card began in the 1840s by Sir Henry Cole and was actually born out of his having too little time to respond to the correspondence that was stacking up in his house. He felt it inconsiderate not to respond to the people who wrote letters to him so he hired an artist to create the very first Christmas card for his family’s update. While some criticized him for this time-saving act, many others caught on and began sending their letters and cards out at Christmas time. 

With the influx of devices and social media into our culture, many have opted out of sending an actual card and instead, send an email or create a social media post giving an update. It’s not that we shouldn’t send cards and updates out at Christmas. We should if we enjoy doing so. But, wouldn’t it be great if we didn’t need to? If we had made more of an effort to keep in better touch with close friends and family between January and October?

We are busier than we’ve ever been because our schedules are fuller than they’ve ever been. We can maybe send a text message or a direct message on a social media account, but to actually send a card in the mail? Well, that’s just absurd and ancient … right?

What if we made an effort to put an actual pen to paper and write a note to someone every month of the year? What if we decided to go a little beyond that and send two notes a month? Or, what if we took it to the next level and said, “I’m going to write 52 notes a year to 52 people.” That’s one per week. And that’s just crazy.

Or is it?

We may never know what it will mean to someone when they receive a note from us—either in their mailbox, on their desk, or slipped under the wiper on their car windshield. There’s no one way to write an encouraging note to someone. It could land on a day when they think they can’t go any further, and our words of encouragement could be just what they needed for the situation they are facing.

Reflect

• Do you think people in your life would benefit from getting a note from you outside of the typical Christmas card update?
• Make a list of people that you would like to send notes to. Plan when you will give them and follow through with doing so.