Here’s a riddle for you. How many hands does it take to create the annual Piece Parade Christmas card? Since I’ve just completed this year’s with some help from family, let me see if I can count them. To do that I guess I’d have to start with listing the tasks – like making the bear, taking its photo, writing the text, laying out the card – but I did those things (2 hands).
Then there’s the people that make the copies and print the photos (4 hands). Do they count? Then there’s the printing of the envelopes which falls mainly on my number one guy (2 hands). After that the stamps need to be applied – my dad volunteered for that one (2 hands).
Soon there’s the assembly of the actual card and its insertion into the envelopes which then have to be sealed. My sisters helped there. Some even do double duty (not sure if that counts as 4 or 8). The answer would fall somewhere roughly between 14 & 18 hands. Whew!
My gratitude to all the owners of those hands!
Thinking of that reminded me that last year about this time I was sharing a few of my past teddy bear Christmas cards here. I wasn’t able to share every card I’ve made and sent so I thought I would choose another to share this year. This one is from 2005 and was entitled Christmas Magic.
First the photo:
Now the inside:
This time of year we often hold in our hearts and minds snapshots of Christmases past. Not of the big things, but of the small things. A conspiratorial wink, the soft glow of a candlelight service, or drinking hot chocolate by the light of the Christmas tree. One Christmas Eve, my husband and I dressed our children in matching one-piece, red long johns. Remember those? Our son, who was seven, was holding our daughter, a half dozen years younger with a big bear hug to keep her from slipping from the chair they were sitting in. Boy, were they giggling! It seems like all holiday memories should be like this. Ordinary things sprinkled with a little bit of Christmas magic. We hope you will be surrounded by those you love, happy memories, and just for good measure, a teddy or two!
May the magic and love of Christmas be with you always.
And that’s how it went in 2005. It’s hard to believe that was five years ago! Maybe I’ll find another oldie but goodie Christmas card to show here. I would put this year’s up but it’ll have to wait – after all I like them to be a bit of a surprise! I think it’s beginning to feel a little like Christmas.