Brandy snap
25-11-06, 01:19
Hi, I love writing Christmas cards, but the procedure takes forever! It begins with photocopying last year's list of recipients. I then have the task of finding the right pen to use. I collect every pen in the house (including all the pens I put in a separate box last year as they were either too scratchy, too blotchy or had the wrong colour ink, in case I made a mistake with my pen selection last year) and write 'Merry Christmas' and beside it a description of the pen I used and how comfortable it felt to use and whether I liked it. I arrive at a 'top three'. I then begin this year's list. I make several columns on sheets of an A4 pad and head them up 'Picture', 'Recipient', 'Written', 'Enclosures', 'Date Posted' and
'Received Back'. Then I study last year's list and begin to work out the order of names for the new list. I do my list in the order of how close I feel to or how much I like everyone at the present time. I spend hours agonising over who to put, e.g., 9th, 10th, 11th and so on. Obviously the top few are always the same (close family and friends), but after that I often find there have been subtle shifts in 'order of preference' (for want of a better phrase). Also there are usually two or three new people to slot in somewhere and sadly two or three to cross off. So going through last year's list I will find my new No. 9, 10, 11 and so on (which might have been 15th, 21st or 24th before) and I cross through their names on my photocopied list until they are all crossed off. I arrange this years packets of cards along the desk and begin to choose them. In the 'Picture' column I write the picture on the card so I don't send the same one next year (if any are left). I tick the 'Written' column when I have written it, then I have to photocopy the inside of the card and envelope (this helps with the repeated checking I used to have to do when it could take an hour to actually get one card in its envelope). When I have done as many as I have time for that day, I write down in the 'Enclosures' column whether I have enclosed any photos, a letter etc. and also whether I used a first or second class stamp. When I get to the postbox (which I usually do at night to be more private) I have to post them one at a time after checking the addresses - it can be ages before I can let go of them. If someone else comes with a letter to post I stand to one side and let them go first as I can't be rushed. When I get home, I write the date and time I posted them. Each day I also put a blank card in an envelope and address it to myself, writing inside the batch it was from, and cannot relax until I have received it back and know my batch of cards were not the victim of youths throwing a lighted match in the postbox, theft etc. And when I receive one from someone I tick the 'Received Back' column. If I happen to speak to someone and they say they have received my card I make a note on my list (with great relief) that it has arrived safely. I can't really explain why I need to do all this. I think partly it is because I hate losing touch with people and Christmas is sadly often the only time I am in touch with the people on page three. Although I do tend to approach many tasks in the same way - can anyone out there relate to any of this?
'Received Back'. Then I study last year's list and begin to work out the order of names for the new list. I do my list in the order of how close I feel to or how much I like everyone at the present time. I spend hours agonising over who to put, e.g., 9th, 10th, 11th and so on. Obviously the top few are always the same (close family and friends), but after that I often find there have been subtle shifts in 'order of preference' (for want of a better phrase). Also there are usually two or three new people to slot in somewhere and sadly two or three to cross off. So going through last year's list I will find my new No. 9, 10, 11 and so on (which might have been 15th, 21st or 24th before) and I cross through their names on my photocopied list until they are all crossed off. I arrange this years packets of cards along the desk and begin to choose them. In the 'Picture' column I write the picture on the card so I don't send the same one next year (if any are left). I tick the 'Written' column when I have written it, then I have to photocopy the inside of the card and envelope (this helps with the repeated checking I used to have to do when it could take an hour to actually get one card in its envelope). When I have done as many as I have time for that day, I write down in the 'Enclosures' column whether I have enclosed any photos, a letter etc. and also whether I used a first or second class stamp. When I get to the postbox (which I usually do at night to be more private) I have to post them one at a time after checking the addresses - it can be ages before I can let go of them. If someone else comes with a letter to post I stand to one side and let them go first as I can't be rushed. When I get home, I write the date and time I posted them. Each day I also put a blank card in an envelope and address it to myself, writing inside the batch it was from, and cannot relax until I have received it back and know my batch of cards were not the victim of youths throwing a lighted match in the postbox, theft etc. And when I receive one from someone I tick the 'Received Back' column. If I happen to speak to someone and they say they have received my card I make a note on my list (with great relief) that it has arrived safely. I can't really explain why I need to do all this. I think partly it is because I hate losing touch with people and Christmas is sadly often the only time I am in touch with the people on page three. Although I do tend to approach many tasks in the same way - can anyone out there relate to any of this?