The winter holidays have arrived.? I have always?liked this time of the year enjoying beautiful Christmas decorations?and ?celebrating with friends.?? As a child I remember happy?times at Christmas.? Decorating a big tree, ice skating on my neighbor?s front lawn (very cool) and Christmas caroling with friends are things that come to mind.? I recall my sisters baking cookies (something they still do) and displaying the Christmas cards around our front entrance way mirror.
I have always loved cards, especially Christmas cards.? The beautiful illustrations and a few nice words from friends or family?is what?I enjoy. ?So far I have received two Christmas cards.? Both?are photo cards.
I don?t have a problem with sending a photo card for the holidays.? It?s nice to see how friends kids have grown and how everyone is doing.? What I do have a problem with is when people use the card to brag about their life.
I was happy when?our first holiday?card arrived until I found out who it was from.
?Look, Honey.? Our first Christmas card.? ? Me
?Yeah.? Look at that.? Wait a minute?it?s from the Braggers.? ? Husband
?Oh no.? The Braggers.? ? Me
I look forward to getting holiday cards from everyone, but the Braggers.? Once a year I hear from a former school friend.? Each year it is the same thing.? She sends a?holiday card?boasting about ?her life with her husband and three children.? The card always features various places she and her family have traveled during the year.? She sends a photo card now, but for many years she would send a full two-page letter bragging about her fabulous life.
The first time I?received a?holiday card from the Braggers I was a single gal.? My friend married young and had children young too.? Each year a brag letter was inclosed in the?card.?? The letter was filled with business accomplishments for her husband,? academic and social advancements about her children and extensive details about the many travel adventures they went on.? Being single reading about their fabulous life used to always make me feel down.? My life as a single, working gal with no prospects of being married seemed?bland by comparison.
Each year it?s the same thing.??The Braggers?send a card and?report about their life.? Not once in the twenty years I have received their cards have I heard one hint of bad news.? Not that a?holiday card is the place to write that kind of stuff, but still.? Last year feeling frustrated with the situation I tried to keep contact with the Braggers for more than once a year.? Turns out they were not interested in having contact.? When a social event came in which the Braggers would be able to reconnect with old friends I invited them for the fun.? No response.
The thing is the Braggers do have things to brag about.? The couple is successful at their careers, have a huge house filled with all sorts of fun stuff (motorcycles, motor home, boat and snowmobiles), the children are?have all?graduated from school and working, and they have been married for over twenty-five years.? And I must not forget they have traveled all over the stinking world.
When their card arrives it?s always the first one.? The brag letter has been replaced with brag photos with a few words about their many adventures.? Everyone?is always smiling and laughing in the photos.? The envelope?has preprinted labels for both the address and return address.??There is no signature or even a licking of the stamp.? It?s the most impersonal card I receive every year.
Their card is the exact opposite of what I think a holiday card should be.? I always purchase paper greeting cards.? I know it?s not great for the environment, but I try to find cards that are beautifully?illustrated or contribute to a charity.? I also hand write a personal message to each person I send a card to.? I enclose a photo of the family to let those who are not on Facebook or reading my blog (GASP!) how much the boys have grown.? I don?t send?holiday cards to every single person I know however, for those who do receive a card I want it to have meaning.
Sending a holiday card once a year to brag about you and your families? accomplishments doesn?t seem much in the holiday spirit.??The?reason to?celebrate the season is to show gratitude for our??blessings?and to be especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate.? Maybe I will write that message on the Braggers holiday card this year.?? Not sure if they will be home from vacation in time to read my card though.? Oh well.? There will?always next year.
Honestly, what is so great about dipping your toes in warm waters?of Tahiti anyway?
Source: http://insanityofmotherhood.com/2012/12/08/the-braggers/
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