On Christmas and its Trappings

In case you hadn't noticed- Christmas is upon us. If this statement throws you into a frenzy of gift wrap and cookie cutters and little holly berry sprinkles for sugar cookies, you're not alone.

I've been thinking about Christmas for the past twelve weeks, and lately, I've been losing sleep over it: Did I send a Christmas card to everyone who needs one? What's the address of that obscure family member who moved three times this year? How many photo calendars need to be purchased? And the worst one: What's the name of the newborn baby from that family in our old neighborhood?

Now, before you start calling me Scrooge, let me say this: Christmas is my favorite time of year. Nothing compares to the magic in a child's eyes as they run out to the Christmas tree that beautiful morning and dive headfirst into a hefty pile of gifts and return with big, sloppy hugs for Mommy and Daddy. It's amazing. Not to mention, there's no other time of year that encourages people to do more for another, to see each other, to smile. I think it's a little bit like heaven in that way. Good will towards men, and all that. When this season begins to grate against what seems to be my very last nerve, I find peace in the simple things- the twinkling lights against a backdrop of snow, for example. And as I sit in my peaceful moment, I scheme up ways to make Christmas a little less stressful- and this year, I found it.

Christmas cards are a "thing" for me. I have to do them. Not only that, but I have to send them to everyone I know, have known, might know, should know, and want to know. I want them to be classy, beautiful, and a little on the fictional side. (I've been known to trim 10 pounds or so off of my face in the Christmas photo- misleading, I know.) I have visions of handmaking every single card we send out, followed immediately by premonitions of tears and hair pulling. So how does one achieve all the above goals without the drama?

Custom-made photo cards. It doesn't get easier than this. And, luckily for us, they're in style. So not only do we look great in our digitally altered Christmas photo, but our friends ooh and ahh over how "with it" we are. Score!

Custom Christmas cards, if you're wondering, are on sale in my Etsy shop. (You knew this was coming back to a self-promo!) Check them out here, and sincerely, have yourself a merry little Christmas!

With all the warmth and love we can muster,

ShellinaScrap