modern greetings

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Much like an outfit you wear to an important event, the card that is sent during the month of December, or January if that is your thing, will probably make a statement to those that pay attention. Every day dress pays attention to clothes and cards, and has for years.

Handmade coordinating embroidered outfits for two boys two girls, matching dog, professional photographer, grosgrain ribbon on the side, check. Repeat until fifth child comes along always make sure the stamp and pen color match the theme, check. Add the fifth, and then the sixth child to the composition, which always will now call for a horizontal image, keep the professional photographer on site, check. Every odd year or so add the youngish and good-looking parents in the mix, check. Travel to Durango CO, book the local photographer for the family photo, set prop includes a real Durango, and in the end resort to photoshopping sixth child that would not trade  Reese’s Cups for a smile. Build a big new house and pose family in front, again, in matching outfits and cashmere sweaters, oh boy, while oldest is starting high school, with paid photographer again, check. Hope you can all see I am totally making fun of myself. Travel to Hilton Head SC, party on the beach with kids, set the camera up and hand to a brother-in-law, best christmas photo ever, check.

Kids go off to college, back in town for Thanksgiving holiday, go to local ski town on black friday, take the picture not knowing how to use the camera, image is blurry, send out hundreds anyways, very picky neighbor says he thought that was the best one ever. Kids home again last year, decide enough is enough and not to do the photo card, they beg after years of complaining, hire a professional photographer again for a 9 am shoot, pass Visine around to all older kids as they have just rolled in, check. Ribbons, engraved messages, thermography, gold pens, silver pens, red pens, calligraphy, lined envelopes, matching handmade outfits and matching stamps, check all that.

This year, can’t get my arms around the thing, think about it for months, take the photo of all six on Thanksgiving Day, even look for a card last-minute while in NYC last weekend at all the best shops. Nothing. Get distracted by work which is a very good thing, host a very successful pop-up sample sale. Get distracted by very real current events, not a good thing at all, and decide a Christmas card would be nice. Kids are asking for photo card again, but decide to do something different as the chosen image has already been shared all over Instagram by three youngest daughters. Happy they are proud of the family photo. Go to local whole and organic food co op and purchase assorted hand silkscreened in Buffalo NY cards, practically empty their entire shelves, check. Travel to post office with intent on purchasing some good looking holiday stamps, line is way too long. Use the self-service kiosk and stamps are printed pronto, check. They look fine on the outside of the envelope. Fine too that some of the greetings will have to wait now until December 26th or so.

On the morning of cross-country flight to CA wake up at 5 am and write off as many as possible before 10 am departure. Pack the rest in the carry on, write the entire flight, with air travel delay and traffic get into San Francisco for the party on time but for same day postage, not. This was Friday. Hand the cards to hotel staff Saturday, say thank you and think, oh, well, these are modern times and this year I’m all for change and modern greetings.

Like the card the holiday wardrobe is different, too. A lover of dresses and not one is packed for this trip. Wore a pair of black jeans with black biker boots on the plane.  Packed two more pair of jeans and a pair of new black stretch satin tuxedo pants, not the matching jacket as that is way too fancy for Sonoma, two more pair of boots, one pair black Louboutin heels, silk camisoles, silk blouses, sweaters, and casual jackets. Left all the east coast dress up clothes home, back east.

Every day dress is now in Sonomo CA for Christmas. Wishing everyone a modern holiday. xoxo