I don't always send them, but I always intend to! I have been pretty good, a couple years in a row now... Like Bill, I think it's an extra special treat to those who get one from me, the odds are dodgy!! It sure is a feeling of accomplishment, getting those cards in the mailbox. I also write a short personal message, since I don't have kids or photos or newsletters to share. It gets a little tedious to write in each one, but I make sure I have eggnog and carols playing and make it festive. This year I wrote half while watching "Holiday Inn." I like reading the newsletters, even when they are braggy! Usually they are from relatives I don't keep in touch with so it's just a nice record of their year. I don't mind cards that are just signed (always the photo ones) but I prefer the ones with a message! I also don't compare give-to-recieve. I am sure I've fallen off a list or two for the years I missed, but I send cards to people I want to extend a greeting to, not to those whom I owe anything!

Whew, Talley Sue--I misunderstood, so we're still hopefully twins separated at birth :). My cards are "pre printed" the same as yours, with the holiday message. I agree w/Sheri about cards that have the signature printed inside, and mailing labels and not a blessed personal or handwritten component...it does seem robotic! We've never done photo cards, mostly because I've never been organized enough to do it. We have one family who do them every year and I've kept em all. They are national park rangers (well dad is, mom is a SAH-retired ranger) with 2 beautiful little girls who actually are child models(!). They live in ranger housing on an island in Biscayne Bay just off Miami so the cards are just amazing. Year by year pictures of gorgeous kids in this stunning setting. I always look forward to seeing what they send out. Ann

I was really late this year, don't think I realized just how late it was. I don't even have all my Christmas cards made out and sent. Took Lauren to the mall this weekend (twice) we gave up on even trying Saturday as it was jammed packed all around the mall area and no parking anywhere. Went back earlier on Sunday and had no problems. Got her some clothes that I just let her pick out. I gave up trying to find something that fit her and then wrapping them up, only for them to not fit. Most of what I got was on-line but I waited till nearly the last minute and most of it is shipping right at the last minute. I did manage to find a little kitchenette for a child we're buying for at work, stupid me saw an ad in the paper early last week. I waited till the end of the week to go looking for it at Wal-Mart, of course, it was no where in sight and now can't even find it on-line, so Saturday I bought another one on-line. Expected to arrive between the 18th and 22nd and guess what? It showed up tonight! Wow, I'm impressed. Bought a Christmas tree at Amazon the same night and wasn't expecting to be able to put it up this year, but it came yesterday. Talk about fast. It's beautiful too. So glad I don't have to prop up my old tree with magazines anymore. lol. The stuff is now trickling in the mail and I have to start wrapping before I go to work on Friday...I know they kids will be snooping.

Thank you for the good wishes ... and may you also have a blessed, happy Christmas, with loved ones and friends. The pic would not be too pleasing to many of the citizens of Ontario and east, as they have had a huge ice storm on Sunday, with about a hundred thousand clients in Toronto without electricity as of last night, still about half of that, and now it's getting down to near zero, so many are moving to warming centres, and there's major concerns about pipes freezing. I've been kicking myself since last night, figuring that I should have gone to find a generator to go down to fire up people's freezers, as I've done in ice storms in the past. People want me to fire up their furnace, as well, but they are directly connected to the outside lines and, even though the main switch may be turned off, I've been afraid to risk putting power back out on the line when linemen figure it's dead. Hope you all have a happy, blessed Christmas, if that celebration matters to you. ole joyful