Thursday, January 04, 2007

Christmas: Thank You's

A friend recently wrote and asked me for some ideas for card making for thank you notes after Christmas. Here are some ideas I shared with her:

* Magazine page card: you've all heard me mention these before and they are simple. You could also use wrapping paper scraps left from packages, Christmas cards (cut off a pretty part and use on the front of the card) or magazine pictures. One year, I included the following poem that I wrote for the thank you because it was getting tedious to list each gift someone had given and I seriously wondered how meaningful the thank-you was:

Christmas comes and Christmas goes
along with paper, ribbon, and bows.

But what will last throughout the year,
is what began with, “Have no fear!”

The greatest gift given with love,
sent to Earth from Heaven above.

We follow this example by giving gifts to one another
choosing something special we hope will bring joy to the other.

Thank you for sharing of who you are
as we celebrate the Christmas star.

And now as this new year begins
we’ll gratefully think of you again and again!

* Similar to the first, you could make a card with a picture that describes something you appreciate about that person. I made these for favors at a brunch once and it was so special. For example, the person you are sending a card to is very easy to be around, comfortable - you could choose a picture of a cozy sweater or comfy reading chair and explain the meaning inside the card. Or, someone is sweet and gentle - look for a pretty light pink rose and compare her heart with it's soft beauty. This makes the card a gift to them in itself.

* Use your children's artwork - let kids watercolor or paint on larger pieces of paper and then cut them into card size and write a message on the inside. Make sure to note who the artist is!

* Make a Christmas 2006 Memory Thank-You: especially for someone who wasn't with you during Christmas. You could make a "cover" out of the heavier paper and then fold regular paper inside - tie a ribbon around the middle to hold it all together. You could include things like: drawing from one of the children, small photo, a favorite recipe you enjoyed, a special memory or gift that will be remembered from this Christmas, a verse that was meaningful to you during Christmas or that would share Christ with a family who are not believers, a brief thank-you from children or let them write their names, etc...

This year, I just wrote thank you's on blank notecards - though I was hoping to do the little memory thank you's. Maybe next year!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Babe, you are just too awesome.