The Christmas Post

I've actually managed to post all my Christmas cards today. Quite a feat really if you consider on the 1st of December I had absolutely nothing prepared or bought for Christmas. The brain still was working on Canadian time. A few days later I managed to get it in gear and settle to some card making. I had bought some new stamps from the Circle Craft Show in Canada Place in Vancouver and decided to make use of them. I pulled all my craft materials out from my cupboard in the garage and soon got an assembly line going and over the next few days the pile of completed cards rose to 76. Job done.

For years I had entertained the thoughts of making my own Christmas cards but never got around to doing them until Nancylee came over to stay with us over Christmas in 2002. We set to together and designed and cut our own stamp and with printers ink made all our cards. I found the process so relaxing and enjoyable that I've done it ever since. I just set everything out on my work bench and do sessions when ever I feel like it.

I have very organised lists on my computer, addresses, and lists of who to send to. This makes the boring task of addressing envelopes simple. I pop the envelope in the computer as I'm signing the card. Simple.

I never go to the Orton Center post office unless I have too. The queues are too long. Alwalton is a small village that boarders the A1 just a short distance from where we live. The Post Office is in a beautiful old thatched cottage with a tiny shop attached and up the narrow stairs in the eaves under the thatch is a lovely little Tea Room. Very oldy worldy.

I thought I picked a good time to pop down for stamps and to post the overseas cards. I thought 3.30 in the afternoon should be quite. Wrong. That little shop was heaving with people posting cards and parcels. I'm sure there were more people in the shop than live in the village. The Post Mistress, Sue, was run off her feet and had reinforcements to help. There were so many sacks on the floor waiting for the post van to collect.

I decided to grit my teeth and stand in the ever lengthening queue. It wasn't a bad experience though. Not like the bigger office, where people are bad tempered here most of the people in the queue knew each other and so there was allot of good natured banter. Nobody moaned or complained.

So now all the cards are done and posted. I'll have to focus on presents and food and what else? Oh yes the decorations. Oh dear. Its never as magical as you get older.