Advent—Hope—Day 3

The first Christmas card came yesterday,
And it brightened the dark, cold December rain.
Just when I thought about letting it go,
Casting this tradition to the wind,
(Because who has time for this?)
A sign arrived, bedecked in a Santa hat,
Stamped with winter’s snowflake,
Sealed with a happy reindeer.

It made my day.
It made me remember
The ones I’ve received over the years,
Collected in stacks and stored with ornaments and stockings.
I don’t throw them away.
It made me remember
The ones I’ve sent over the years,
The kids growing in wisdom and stature
Delighting the old folks’ hearts.

They told me they displayed them all year long.
Thank you for remembering me, they would say,
And their children, too:
“When we cleaned out Mama’s house after she died,
Your Christmas cards were still on the fridge.
How she loved them so.”

So this year, when I mail my cards,
(Because how can I let it go now?)
I’ll look at my list that grows shorter each year
As loved ones gain a new address,
One they don’t share with me.

But I know where they are,
And I see them in my memory,
In flowered dresses and weathered overalls
Sitting with canes and crutches,
Aches and pains,
Yet smiling through it.

I see them in the future,
The old made new, 
The wrong made right,
Sitting with the King of Kings.
And they’re still smiling,
But bigger than before.

So I’ll send no Christmas cards to Heaven
To remind them of what they left behind.
Besides, they need no more encouraging to keep going,
But I’ll shed some hopeful tears that I will, a while longer,
And be ready for the day the circle is unbroken.

Until then, I’ll keep a soft place in my heart
As I address the envelopes 
And say a prayer for all those
Who will put them on the fridge
Beside the ones from last year.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 NIV)

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Reflection and Prayer: In a 2024 poll, 60% of adults say they are receiving fewer Christmas cards each year, and even more say they are not bothered by the decline. While younger generations are starting new trends, let’s not forget those who still appreciate a traditional card, especially our older folks. Whose day can you brighten by sending a beautiful or a funny Christmas card? Pray for the ones who will receive your cards, and thank God for giving you the opportunity to share one with someone else.