The Christmas Card Box
This is our Christmas card box. Of course, it contains more than Christmas cards. It has cards covering Chanukah, New Year's, birth announcements, and even a change of address. If you've sent a card to our family over the past year eventually the card goes into this box. Sometimes the kids get out the cards and sort them by size or color or number of kids. Sometimes they ask us "who's this?" or "do I know these kids?" (they never really ask about the adults).
Billy and I have learned to be concise in our answers and relevant in relating the person to our kids. It's kind of like playing "name that tune" with a printed aide. For example, if the card that's pulled out comes from Dave & Scherry I remind them that they are now "Texas friends" and that they sent Josh "Puppy" ( his favorite stuffed animal.) This makes Josh LOVE Dave & Scherry. Or "That's the Browns, they gave us the idea to do a Christmas box." Of course, sometimes we get distracted in our stories too "Do you remember playing Pictionary with Lane? You guys definitely were cheating!!" It's a fun little game. However, what's more fun is the tradition we have of pulling out a card just before dinner time and praying for the family along with giving thanks for our food.
Our kids typically handle our evening grace - and we love hearing them think of things to say for people who they usually haven't met or don't remember. They cover safety issues, wishes for having a "good life," for healthy babies, for getting time together and requests for the family to "get along." It's priceless.
If you get cards - if you have a box - if you say a blessing before you eat your food, try this out. And if you send a card to our family, feel free to let us know how you'd like us to pray for you! Just print neatly so the short ones can read it...