Jeff Westover
12-09-2009, 10:27 PM
I got home from work today and ran into my mailman. We met at the mailbox and he said, "Excuse me, do you mind if I ask you a question?"
I said "Sure!".
He said: "Who are you? I normally don't notice much in people's mail but every Christmas you get more Christmas cards than anyone I deliver to and they come from all over the world. Who are you?"
It brightened my day to tell him of my friends -- the vast majority whom I have not personally met -- that I know from right here and the other Christmas sites I'm associated with. I told him what we do here and just what those cards mean to me.
This year, they have profoundly affected me.
In my real life, when I'm not here, I work retail and I don't have to tell you what a rough year it has been -- and what a nasty Christmas it is this year. Folks "out there" simply aren't nice this year. The economy, the lack of money, the uncertainty and who knows what else have combined to make things miserable for many and some like to carry their misery over to others. For one in my position, whose job it is to deal with "problems", this makes a season like this one busy...and not in a good way.
In the business I am in the season begins back in October and frankly it has been so overwhelming that it has prevented me from doing much of what I traditionally like to do and it has simply drained me. I haven't felt much like Christmas, even though I am here year round and doing what I do here.
Tonight the kids and I opened up all the cards -- and we had to use the Santa tracking map that we hang up on the wall this time of the year to help us out. So far we have received cards from all over the U.S. and Canada, the UK, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Austria, Japan, Mexico, Australia and the Netherlands.
And what cards they have been! Many homemade, some inclusive of recipes or sentiments, and all wishing the best for the season.
They have lifted me. It has felt like Christmas tonight like no other night this year and I am so grateful for the lift.
THANK YOU, my friends. I am profoundly grateful to share each season with you here...and through the cards you send us.
Jeff
I said "Sure!".
He said: "Who are you? I normally don't notice much in people's mail but every Christmas you get more Christmas cards than anyone I deliver to and they come from all over the world. Who are you?"
It brightened my day to tell him of my friends -- the vast majority whom I have not personally met -- that I know from right here and the other Christmas sites I'm associated with. I told him what we do here and just what those cards mean to me.
This year, they have profoundly affected me.
In my real life, when I'm not here, I work retail and I don't have to tell you what a rough year it has been -- and what a nasty Christmas it is this year. Folks "out there" simply aren't nice this year. The economy, the lack of money, the uncertainty and who knows what else have combined to make things miserable for many and some like to carry their misery over to others. For one in my position, whose job it is to deal with "problems", this makes a season like this one busy...and not in a good way.
In the business I am in the season begins back in October and frankly it has been so overwhelming that it has prevented me from doing much of what I traditionally like to do and it has simply drained me. I haven't felt much like Christmas, even though I am here year round and doing what I do here.
Tonight the kids and I opened up all the cards -- and we had to use the Santa tracking map that we hang up on the wall this time of the year to help us out. So far we have received cards from all over the U.S. and Canada, the UK, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Austria, Japan, Mexico, Australia and the Netherlands.
And what cards they have been! Many homemade, some inclusive of recipes or sentiments, and all wishing the best for the season.
They have lifted me. It has felt like Christmas tonight like no other night this year and I am so grateful for the lift.
THANK YOU, my friends. I am profoundly grateful to share each season with you here...and through the cards you send us.
Jeff