Advent Calendar - December 4: Christmas Cards

This Blog is pleased to join with other GeneaBloggers around the world in presenting this Advent Calendar over the next 24 days leading up to the Christmas celebration. There will be a different topic each day. I will attempt to post on each of the topics.

This post is number 4 in a series of 24 for the 2010 Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories.

On the 4th Day of Christmas, I am supposed to talk about Christmas cards. Did my family send and display Christmas cards?

Oh yes, and it was my mama's joy to do this. She kept a book with everyone's address and there was a little box to mark if she sent one and if they received one. Of course if she sent them out several years in a row and did not receive one ever back then eventually she probably would stop sending out a card.

This is the last of my mom's little Christmas address book. It is really messy with names and addresses changed, little sticky address labels passed over when they moved and sent a new address and some are crossed off when they passed away. It is from the mid 1980's. I wish I had some earlier ones.

My mother always loved getting cards with messages and if they just signed their name and had not even a little note she thought that was sad and why even bother sending out the card. My grandmother and aunt Daisy were of the same thought.

Christmas cards were displayed on a mantel if there was one and taped on the door if there was no mantel at that house.

The Christmas cards above are two of my favorite. The card on the left is from 1958 and from my grandma and grandpa Day. I have several early birthday cards, some valentine and Easter cards but this is the only Christmas card I have found so far. The pretty card on the right is one of the last Christmas cards from my dad. He has written his name which is so lovely to see. I think these two will be displayed with any others I receive this year.

I am doing these Christmas memories of my childhood only. I will print and give to my sons and grandchildren for them to read if they like someday.