Done. And Done.
A few months ago, I was playing the part of Scrooge, and decided that there was no way I had the energy to get my two little bickering cherubs to put on cute outfits and smile for the camera. I decided that in light of the economy and some other made up shit I can't remember, I was not going to do cards this year. Then I started talking to my soul-sister
Ashley and got a bit of the Christmas Card Hunt Bug. I started casually looking for a card template that might appeal to me if I were going to do cards, which I was not.
I bookmarked a few. Then it occurred to me that I could just use pictures from earlier in the year. I didn't have to go through the whole winter-photo-shoot-hell thing. Then Ashley posted that
Shutterfly had a day or two left in their BIG SALE. And it was ON. I had those cards designed, uploaded, and ordered in a day.
They've all been addressed, stamped, and mailed. I fully expect to get Ashley's card first as I do every year. Picture cards get a spot of honor on the refrigerator each year. I've got to get working on clearing the front off. I love seeing pictures of friends and family that we don't see all year long. I especially love a funny pic. I can't wait to see what the mail brings this year!
Speaking of which can we review
Swistle's Christmas Card Scoring System:
- Card received: +5
- BCard received before December 1st: -1
- Card received after December 25th: -1
- Card is pretty, and looks nice on wall: +3
- Card is glittery: +1
- Card sheds that glitter: -2
- Card is shiny / has metallic accents: +1
- Card does not contain card, but only letter, so there is nothing to put up on the wall: -5
- Card is e-card: -5
- Card includes photo or is photo card: +5
- More than one photo: +2 each additional photo
- Photo is non-Christmassy so will look good on fridge all year: +1
- Photo is Christmassy so increases holiday feeling of card: +1
- Red-eye causes family to appear possessed by evil Christmas spirit: -1
- Photo was taken on beach this past summer in summer clothing, so family looks chilly against winter pattern of card: -1
- Photo includes dogs with glowing eyes who seem poised to eat humans: -1
- Card includes letter: +5
- Letter is informative and interesting: +3
- Letter describes child as "amazing" or "already an avid reader and accomplished Suzuki violinist at age 3!": -3 each
- Letter is so braggy and saccharine-cheery, I wonder why I associate with these people: -3
- Letter is so very braggy and saccharine-cheery, it crosses over into comical and becomes fun to read aloud in an unkind tone of voice: +2
- Letter uses the word "blessed" more than one time: -1 per use (not including first use)
- Letter is a sermon/evangelism disguised as a Christmas letter, and contains pious spiritual hopes for our country, for our country's leaders, for mankind, and for me personally: -5
- Letter mentions details of gross surgery/illness: -1 or +1, depending on entertainment value
- Letter contains thinly-veiled family gossip: +3
- Letter contains information that should have been told earlier: -2
- Card includes check: +5
- Large check: +10
- Card includes announcement of pregnancy: +10
- Card from Christmas Card Friends contains surprising news of baby born since last card sent: +10
Based on the scoring system, my card, depending on which one you get, should be either a 16 or a 20 (+/- whether you think it is pretty, I gave it points for pretty). I'll give them a week or two to get where they're supposed to be and then I'll post them here.