Making a list AND checking it twice. Sometimes three times.

Normally by October 1 I have my Christmas card list done, I have cards almost done, and envelopes addressed and ready for stamps. And when I say "normally", I really mean every year other than last year, obviously. Last year I somehow managed to make and mail 85 cards, get a family letter in there and get them out before Christmas.

Fine, I'll admit some cards didn't get mailed until the day after Christmas, but at least I got them out, right?

Christmas cards are kind of a thing for me. I spend a lot of time thinking of what card I want to make, not to mention the time it takes to make the card, then I take an evening to write out a family letter highlighting all of the good (and bad) during the year. A lot of our family isn't on Facebook so doesn't necessarily see stuff, so I try to share relevant stuff but not bore people who do follow me.

Every year though, I get fairly annoyed at how few cards we get back. I know it's not everyone's jam but I really miss the days of holiday cards being a big deal. Is that weird?

So this year I'm trimming our list. I've trimmed a little bit the last couple of years (we used to mail out 125!) but I think this is the year I really cut back. I think ever since I had the AFE, it's really become a priority to only put energy towards people who give a damn. We have some family who never called, sent a "so happy you didn't die" card (Hallmark DOES make those because we got some!), and lots who didn't ask what they could do to help. So I think this is the year we cut them. Yeah, I'm cutting family. Sometimes it just needs to be done, ya know?

Now I'm trying to decide what am I going to do for a card? Do I continue making them? Do I say screw it and settle on a (significant pause to clutch my pearls) photo card?

You know I hate photo cards. Nothing says, "I give up" like a photo card. That's essentially the only cards I get in the mail and that's cool if that's all the effort you're putting in, but I just... I can't. But I also know I don't have the patience or attention span required to make my own cards. I feel like I have to make a decision soon, like by the end of the week, so that I can make myself a plan to do this.

What are you doing for Christmas cards this year? Do you have a favorite holiday tradition?