Making A List, Checking It Twice

Now is the time for the annual task of making, checking, deleting, correcting, and adding to the Christmas card lists. Well, I'm sure I am behind most everyone, so it's probably way past the right time for this. And, this year, I guess I am sending out mostly "New Year postcards" instead of "Christmas cards." So, maybe, just maybe, I'm right on time. I don't know how this goes for others, but this project has turned into quite a chore for me.

The problems?

I've moved too much and am still struggling to feel completely settled. I have little slips of paper that people have given me with their addresses on them. My address book is packed, and I am trying to find room to add more information. (Maybe that's what I should have asked for on my Christmas list... a super-huge address book.)

Some of my friends have moved as often as I have. So, I'm smart enough to keep writing everything in pencil. But, when I look at an address, I sometimes don't know if the one I am seeing is the new new one, the new old one, the old new one, or the old old one.

And, I admit it. I sometimes can't keep track of some of my old friends' children's names - especially when number of children > 6 or when our visits are years apart. I'm usually VERY good at remembering, but last night I was really struggling. And, part of the time, I couldn't even fit all of the names onto the card.

Each year, I waste hours thumbing through all of my addresses to find the ones to whom I want to send cards.

So, in an effort to streamline the effort, I finally made a database exclusively for Christmas card sending. It took me a total of 6 hours to complete all of the entering, editing, double-checking, going back through old emails, and calling Mom to verify. It then took me quite a while to set up the address template and print the cards. It's been work this week. But, in all, I think I saved a lot of time for myself for future years, and it's worth it. I love receiving cards in the mail, and I love sending notes to those who I care about - even friends who can now correspond only once a year.

I'm halfway through writing my personal notes on the cards. (HAND CRAMPS!) So, in moments, I'll be taking a break and heading out to the post office to purchase stamps before my early lunch hour ends. Hopefully, it won't be too rushed there. There was a long line at the post office this morning... and the people I saw looked extremely aggravated.

In light of this errand, I thought I'd post a "funny" that was sent to me by my aunt today.

A woman goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards.

She says to the clerk, "May I have 50 Christmas stamps?"

The clerk says, "What denomination?"

The woman says, "God, please help us. Has it come to this? Give me 6 Catholic, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Lutheran and 22 Baptists."

(I have no idea what I'd be asking for! Guess I'd better go back through my database before heading to the post office.) :)