Missing Christmas cards
December 19, 2011—
The writing was on the wall.
I would no longer be sending Christmas cards after 2011.
For the past several years I’ve purchased a couple of boxes of “holiday” cards from Chicago Lights at Fourth Presbyterian Church in downtown Chicago. It is a non-profit organization that opens doors to individuals and families who face challenges of aging, poverty and access to education and health care.
The cards were cute, witty and always warm.
They were designed and illustrated by children from Chicago.
Chicago Lights provides one on one tutoring sessions with adult volunteers and scholarship opportunities for more than 400 children living in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Chicago.
Last week I went to the church offices to pick up my cards. I was told this would be the final year of the program. Although the Ford Motor Company had underwritten a portion of production costs, the project lost thousands of dollars in the last couple of years. I promised I would not say how much money that was.
I was also told some people complained about the political incorrectness of the kid’s innocent sentiments; wide eyes without eyeliner.
A few years ago there was a great card with black and white angels together in front of a Christmas tree. The card was illustrated by 5th grader Yaihaida Westbooks and said “Merry Christmas.” This year Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel changed the name of the downtown “Christmas Tree” to “Holiday Tree.”
Who can forget that great Brenda Lee song, “Rockin’ Around The Holiday Tree”?
Also, people just don’t send cards anymore.
E-mail, Facebook and tumblr do the trick.
The kids were heartbroken that the program has ended, according to my salesperson.
I loved these cards and I have saved some of my favorites. I will still send out the current box and some remainders from years past. My friend Angelo joked how I could act like an old guy and enclose a dollar bill in each card.
Just the day before I trekked over to the church I gave my ex-girl friend a Chicago Lights card about giving. We were heading out for breakfast and coffee at the Sunrise Cafe, my neighborhood diner that has the name of an assisted living cafeteria.
She smiled and fumbled around her purse and I thought maybe she had a card too, or maybe a Red Hershey kiss for me!
She showed me her make up she just purchased.
The writing was on the wall.
If there is one thing that overshadows the expectations of the holidays, it is the wonderful giving of the season. And maybe you don’t need a card to do that.
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