Christmas Cards - Don't Trash or Stash Them
by Donna Watkins

I thought I'd share a Holiday Tradition that makes Christmas cards "last"much longer than just for the month of December. It takes away the guilt of just tossing them in the trash......and takes away the clutter of putting them away.

As the cards arrive in the mail, we sit them around the house as they come in so we can be reminded of the many friends we have been blessed with. After Christmas Day we gather them up and put them in a basket and schedule a time to pray over each person and family that sent them. It's a special time to slip into lives in a way that will bless them for the year to come --- and possibly for eternity.

When our son was little and life was a bit more hectic, we would place them on the kitchen table in a basket or napkin holder and each of us would draw one to pray for before we ate each meal.

After we've prayed, we cut the covers of the cards into 4x6" postcards and write thank-you's on them. You can use the left side for the message, draw a line to the right of it, and then write the address and use a 20-cent stamp. This saves 12 cents plus the cost of note cards - and you "save a tree."

A postcard gives just enough space to say thank you and makes the task quick and fun. It isn't as intimidating for children as a note card sometimes is with all of its blank space to fill in, and it teaches children an important character quality: gratefulness.

Read more of Donna's articles