...Thanksgiving Comes First. Here at EIP and at Jimmy Suldog's place, he being the the campaign originator. I'm gonna launch into excuses before I even begin this exercise, and there's really only one: people who order personalized Christmas cards usually do so around this time o' year... coz it takes time to select a design, place the order, time for the vendor to print your message, and then deliver said cards to you before the Christmas season is upon us. Not to mention the time required to write out and address the things, but we won't go there... coz my feelings about that chore are less than festive. (Ahem)
So the subject is Christmas cards. And I'm assuming at least one of you Gentle Readers still does that sort of thing, which I believe is a rather safe assumption given the package I received in the mail this past week. Vendors don't waste money flogging products that don't sell.
I don't send Christmas cards any longer; I gave up that quaint and wonderful old tradition sometime back in the 1990s. But I used to do it and The Deity At Hand knows I sent out a lot of the things. I inherited that tradition from Mom, I think. That said... were I still in the habit of sending Christmas cards I'd send out one of the following designs:
My fave... note the wreath on the Jeep. I like to think my Dad saw something like this during the Big One.
Second favorite. I find this one adorably whimsical.
I wouldn't send this one, but some may like it.
I really like this one, but I had to do some serious P-shop tweaking to get the white-on-white embossing to show up. And even now the image doesn't do the card justice.
The cards come from the Air Force Association, as you might could imagine. You can see the whole range of cards here, in the off chance you're interested.
These are awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jenny!
ReplyDeleteI saw these yesterday, and am just getting around. Man, that first one really grabs you. At least it grabs me.
ReplyDeleteWe quit the Christmas card deal a couple of decades ago, but still receive many. Almost all of them are from people 70 or older.
Truth is, I'm not a big Christmas guy, period. I just wrote a long comment about why, and after thinking better about it, wiped it all out.
Anyway, thanks for posting these.
Almost all of them are from people 70 or older.
ReplyDeleteHeh. That speaks of Former Happy Days, doesn't it? I'm glad you see what I see in the B-17 card, Andy.
I love them all!
ReplyDeleteWe still do the Christmas card thing and I will admit out loud that I ordered them in August -- we went with a golf theme this year because we've already used most of the patriotic ones that my husband would put his name on. The one thing he insisted on this year was no "happy holidays" messages -- it's Merry Christmas or nothing. Can't say that I disagree. I always tell myself that I'll get them done early if I start earlier, but apparently I'm the Queen of Procrastination.
Since Pepper is nearing retirement, we'll probably pare the list down a bit, but I still enjoy sending as well as receiving.
I agree with you on the Merry Christmas v. Happy Holidays thing, Moogie... completely. And isn't it interesting just how many people on your C-card list are bid'niz associates? Or, more likely in Pepper's case, clients? I know at least 25% of my list when I was still doing that thing were business people...
ReplyDeleteSeeing as the B-17 is my favorite aircraft, it goes without saying that the first one is tops on my list.
ReplyDeleteWe don't do a big Christmas here. Unless a card is special - like a photo or something or has a wonderful personal letter in it, I think they are a waste of time. I hate getting a cheezy card with someone's name stamped inside - It gives me that WTH feeling. If it is not personal, why bother?
ReplyDeleteI have seen these and the sea going variations. Along with the cowboy ones from Leanin" Tree, they are among the best,
ReplyDeleteAnd it is to the point I don't like making a necessary replenishment at Wally World anymore................after Halloween! The Christmas stuff has already started and it isn't even Thanksgiving for crying out loud!
I understand it has to do with getting the populace to part with their hard earned. And the Christmas season is a big money maker for retail businesses.
But why so soon?!?!?!?
BR: The B-17 is MY favorite aircraft of all time, too!
ReplyDeleteIf it is not personal, why bother?
That was one of the things my Mom taught me about Christmas cards... make it personal, no matter HOW long it may take.
Glenn: "Why so soon?" is the entire thrust of the "Thanksgiving Comes First" thing.
AAAA! What're you doing?!? What about Thanksgiving? I thought we weren't even going to mention C******** for a while.
ReplyDeleteIt's ok, just giving you a hard time.
The first reminds me a bit of my (great) Uncle Joe, and one of the few stories he would tell about WWII: Christmas Mass celebrated on the hood of a Jeep.
I think I actually received the second, or one very much like it, from my Uncle Jim (ex Navy pilot). He was a true devotee of model aircraft. He'd build one of every plane he flew and send it to my Nana. I get the impression he had a lot of down-time when he was still flying.
And I have to laugh. Yes, it's whimsical and all, but who paints a model airplane with a 2" brush and a quart can of paint? I think that would be tough, even for Santa himself ;-)
It's OK, Buck. I'm willing to make exceptions for mail order stuff because of the logistics involved. It's the folks who don't have to worry about that stuff - the Targets, IKEA's, and Wal-Marts of this world - who fry my bacon.
ReplyDeleteC & J: I'm glad you guys let me off.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, Cricket... the 2" brush thing IS weird! Your Uncle Joe sounds a bit like my father, who never spoke of the war until my very last visit with him before he died. I wish I would have had a tape recorder with me for our last night together, but that's another story.