December 10, 2021 — If you still plan to write a holiday letter this year, ‘tis the time! Thinking some of you just might be taking pen in hand this weekend, I wanted to share a “food for thought” exchange that I had recently. It was with the managing editor of our industry’s great trade magazine Gift Shop Plus (and, come to think of it, given your love of cards and gifts, you may wish to subscribe!)

So, a few weeks ago, the very kind Debbie Eisele and I had been emailing back and forth about industry trends. She closed with, “If I don’t speak with you prior to the holidays, please enjoy every minute with your loved ones. I’ll be off a lot this month … in fact, this is the only full week I will be working until the second week in January!! I want to spend time with my girls while they are home from college.”

Knowing how hard this pro works and how committed she is, I replied, “Wow, good for you! Here’s to having the most amazingly meaningful time with them, Debbie.” And being someone who is all about honoring emotions, I couldn’t stop myself from adding, “Please consider sending your daughters notes letting them know that they mean so much to you — and are considered such a high priority — that you went so far as to share with colleagues like me that you cleared your calendar for them! ♥️♥️ Last week I happened across several very sweet notes from my late parents, and I felt so cherished reading them all these years later when Mom and Dad are no longer here.”

Debbie wrote right back, “Yes, I am so looking forward to my time with the girls … it is fleeting these days! At the beginning of every school year, I make a point of writing them notes to let them know how special they are to me and how proud I am of the young women they’ve become, so I love your idea of doing that for the holidays. I also know how you feel about reading cards and notes years later, as I have been doing that recently too. It is truly priceless to reread thoughts of those we have lost.”

The exchange made me stop and consider how so many of the holiday letters I’ve received over the years were of the reportorial “we went there and did that” variety, when they could be so much more powerful if the writer had taken Debbie’s more meaningful approach. I was thinking, “Wouldn’t it be great if we all went a bit deeper in this year’s cards and letters — if we told people how we feeeel about them and maybe even told them exactly what it is we so love about them?” 🥰

Lo and behold, what to my wondering eyes should appear but just such a holiday letter from Cardie Madeline Stockbridge (so dear :)! And, wow, to my heart’s delight, in her closing paragraph to friends and family, Madeline chose to share, “I’m a Cardthartic customer, so get to enjoy their Cardie Yoga practice via zoom three times a week. I’m far from flexible, but I do enjoy the stretching and breathing exercises, especially knowing I’m there together with other kindred spirits around the country. I’m closing this letter with one of instructor Paola’s mantras:

May you be peaceful.
May you be centered.
May you be healthy.
May you be balanced.

“And,” Madeline wrote, “I’ll add my own: May you be hopeful.”

Indeed! With thanks to inspiring Debbie and Madeline for setting the tone, enjoy writing heart-to-heart through the holidays and in the coming new year. I’m off to practice what I preach (right after Cardie Yoga). 😉

Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative