I have always sent Christmas cards - one of the things my mom always did that I guess I figured was just a tradition at Christmas. However, my immediate family was separated by our entire extended family on both sides. We saw them maybe once a year each. Back then, we didn't have the internet and had to pay for long distance calls, so it was a nice way to keep in touch with loved ones and old friends that lived away from us. She wrote long handwritten notes in each and every one. Now that I'm married, I find myself in a similar situation. Dh's family is from the west coast, and the only immediate family nearby are my parents and brother's family. My sister moved away and my extended family is still spread out far from us. In addition, my husband was in the Navy for 9 years so we have many, many friends that we keep in touch with but never see as they are spread out around the world. I have about 110 families on our list. I used to write individual long notes on the cards (with photo of kids inserted), but now with Facebook and email, we communicate a little more regularly. I do photo cards now, but I always leave the back blank and handwrite at least a few lines on each card, longer notes to those we don't talk to often. I do have my addresses saved in label format on my computer, but I don't print on labels - I print it out on regular paper and use it as a guide for handwriting the addresses and then cross off once I've done the card. We've gotten some funny newsletters over the years, but there are two people who send them that always drive me nuts - one tries to get really creative but just sounds stupid (one year, she wrote from the point of view of their dog, but it was really dumb, not cute) and the other is gushing and bragging about her family. But I don't mind them for the most part. I love getting the photos though - since most of my friends have kids at home, it's nice to see how they are growing up. I'll be lucky if my cards get out in time this year. They got delayed and last time I checked, were somewhere in PA. I could probably have driven to the UPS facility and back faster than they'll get here. Bummer - I'm ready for Christmas otherwise, so it would be nice to use this time to be writing them!

I can't see the photos....when I made quilted stockings I simply drew my stocking size and used 2 pieces of quilt , one for the front and one for the back, and cut out my front and back pieces. put them right sides together and sew around the edge sides and bottom. I made a cuff the right size to fit the top... sewed it on and turned the whole thing right side out. I embroidered the cuff with their names and edged it with red lace I knitted. I thought the quilted fabric itself was sufficiently strong and didn't bother lining it (I used old pieces of a 'cutter quilt' but you could use newly quilted pieces).

Hmmm I don't think I'm quite ready for socks yet. lol. Did you see my first project on my blog? :0) I am enjoying my second project and it's coming along much better than the first. I expect to get better each week. The class is fun, the other students very nice and the teacher is so good. I will definitely let you know when I am ready for the socks. My sister is now learning to knit! I thought she could already do everything, but she hadn't tackled knitting yet. I wish we lived closer to each other so we could talk and knit together.

We walk...next door...on Christmas day...and open presents, have dinner, eat too much, have coffee and celebrate the neighbor's birthday at 8:34pm (the moment she was born). We've been doing this about 15 years now. We love our neighbors like they were family. Jodi-