Slaughtering Trees for a Good Cause

 Each year, I look forward to receiving that very first Christmas card.  It doesn't matter the sender, the artistic design, or the poetry within.  Each brings a warm feeling to my heart.

Each card represents love. 

In this day and age of rapid-fire point and click, people rarely have the spare time to undertake such an antiquated tradition like mailing cards at Christmastime.  Yet, many still do, not for tradition's sake, but to say I love you without ever speaking those exact words.

While I'm usually pro-reducing my carbon footprint, in this case, I find the trees' sacrifice is worth it tenfold.  There is just something about knowing that somebody, somewhere took the time to hand write warm wishes to my family in this very tangible form.

I affix all of them to a closet door near our foyer, a surface I will see numerous times each day as I work around the house.  Quite often, I catch my children stooped before the door, small hands opening the cards and reading the names within.  They, too, know the value in receiving mail such as this.

There are those that have been enhanced with metallic foil accents and those attacked by glitter that continues to drip upon my floor all season long with each touch.  Then, there are those with the heavily lacquered surfaces hanging beside others frosted iridescent with Southern pipe dreams of a white Christmas.

I love them all.  The angels, the flocked trees, the ornaments, the Happy Holidays, and the Merry Christmases.  Their colors and messages delight until after the new year has come.

The simple things of the season sometimes have the most long-lasting impact.  An envelope, a store-bought card, and a stamp--here's betting I'm not the only one who appreciates this little offering of love this season.