I wrote previously about my Santa experience. You can read about that HERE.

As I don’t think I have ever written a Dear Santa letter, I thought perhaps this was the year. Now, this is not going to be a wish list of gifts exactly, it is more of a simple list of things that I am grateful for

Dear Santa,

Thank you for a family who love me
Thank you for a family who accept me for who I am and respect me, for my decisions.
Thank you for having the finances to pursue my dreams and hobbies
Thank you for my friends and acquaintances
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to take chances and be in a position to support projects that I value, such as the Kiva Project.

Julie

Now, that was a lot harder than I thought.

So, if you were going to write a letter to Santa, what would it say?

I remember both my Mum and Grandmother sending cards, but not how many or what happened to them. I have a few old cards, perhaps the last one received from a particular relative, or those with a photograph or letter. Any that my Grandmother received I now have.

Currently they are in a box packed away in a box awaiting scanning and archiving. I can’t really remember where they were displayed, I suspect the mantle piece as that is where I have mine and on the dresser and other furniture in our lounge.

I probably started sending cards when I as about 12 or 13. Mainly to school friends, but when I left home and then subsequently married to family members. In many cases a Christmas card is the only contact we have, which is a shame.

When we first set up home together and started sending cards as a couple I asked for Stuart’s card list. He looked at me blankly and said he only sent about 6 cards, I was amazed, that meant the other 60 odd were mine! Since then I have written all the cards and letters and Stuart’s list has not really got any bigger. My list has reduced a little bit, but not by much. Even people that I communicate with on line these days still get a card in the post and they get an additional email. I keep the email letters and file these with letters I receive, along with any letters and cards that arrive in the mail.

I usually aim to send my cards out early December, but each year I seem to get later and later. The overseas ones always go first.

At the end of the 1980s I bought a card booklet, with the details of card and present and address. The book was set up for about 10 years. At the end of the 10 years I looked around for another book similar but no one seems to sell them any more, so I have a bit of paper in my Christmas card box and each year tick or highlight in a pen to say that I sent the card. I really should find a better way of recording it, but somehow the scrappy bit of paper is like able. I usually buy Charity cards apart from ones that I send to close relatives. I tend to go for the Charities whose good cause has touched our family life, mainly Cancer Research as many of my family have suffered in this way.

This photograph is of my Great Grandmother, Annie Prudience Butcher nee Harris,which was sent as her Christmas Card in 1955.The picture was taken in Guildford Surrey England in the prefab house the family lived in after the War.

The photo was certainly sent to her children, I have my Grandfather’s copy George Butcher (1908-1974) and I know of at least one cousin who has his father’s copy.

Do you have a copy in your photo collection? If so please get in touch.

The collection of tree ornaments we have are ones that we bought from our first Christmas together.

There are others that were given to us by my Mum and each year Stuart and I buy at least one ornament to keep the tradition going. We tend to go for the reds and golds but there are some others that have special meanings to us.

A Spode china Millennium bauble which always has pride of place, and a gold bell which has a picture of a Border Terrier on the side,which we bought the first Christmas we lost our lovely Monty in 2008.

We also have a lovely set of the Lilliput Lane tree decorations as Stuart collections the lovely houses, and especially the snowy and wintry ones.

The decorations that we had as when I was a child are still with my Mum. The original fairy which I mentioned earlier this week is still in the family. I think Mum has it and she thinks I have it, and we won’t know until we both put our trees up and find it!