The year has gone by with the speed of a retreating Goon (and for some of us, with the attendant shuriken, boomerang, yoyo, bolas, etc as well) and the Christmas/Holiday season is nearly upon us. First, a warning: do not accept gifts of home made food from a certain Swan. SHe tries, but it's just not edible... Next up - we have a number of new members with us so it's time to put the call out for those who would like to take part in a christmas/holiday card exchange. All this involves is your sending actual real cards to your fellow Gatchamania denizens. If you want to take part, please PM me with your name and address (or e-mail me - my e-mail is in my profile) with the information. Whatever method, please use the subject "Gatchamania Holiday Card Exchange". I will also need your - e-mail address so that I can send out the finished list. Please note: the list of names and addresses will not be published anywhere on the net. I will e-mail it as a PDF attachment to each person. I'll need to know by 15 November if you want to take part (together with your details) so that I have time to compile everything and we can get cards sent before the season is over. If you would prefer a generic "Happy Holidays" or "Happy New Year" rather than Christmas card, then please let me know that as well. (I don't want anybody being offended).

Oo interesting Idea!

I signed up! I think it's a great idea. The holiday season is pretty sad for me, because the anniversary of my mom's death 5 days before Christmas, her favorite holiday. We used to assemble food boxes for the poor, purchase and wrap toys for underprivileged children, and sing carols at the seniors care home. Giving has always been more important to me than getting, because it makes me so happy to see others happy. To continue this tradition and send cards to the members who have kept this place going is just a small token of my gratitude! Katse

I only have three of us at the moment - I'd love to see more involved! Berg - I'm so sorry this is a sad time of the year for you. I hope that you have some good friends or family you can spend the holidays with. For me, it's my second year without mum and I must admit to feeling it already. I love sending christmas cards anyway, which is why I thought I'd do this!

Originally posted by Berg Katse Giving has always been more important to me than getting, because it makes me so happy to see others happy. To continue this tradition and send cards to the members who have kept this place going is just a small token of my gratitude!

This transpires a lot from what you do for us through this site, Katse, together with Cep! Maddy ... first of all I wish to tell you that yours is such a good, hearty, and benevolent idea! This notwithstanding, I hereby also wish to explain why I cannot take part in it, because I don't want any one of you thinking that, perhaps, I don't want to share the joy of such festivities with all of you, or wish you otherwise! You know I love you all! Funnily enough, the same reason why Katse continues her dear, late mother's love towards others, is the same reason why I cannot join you in this activity! My late mother's birthday is exactly on the 25th of December. I don't think it's necessary explaining how I feel on that very same date, each year! Such an important, and joyful day, which we have always expected with utter excitement, suddenly turned into the opposite! I remember the first Christmas after she had passed away. She died during the month of October, when I was only three months pregnant with my first child, and Christmas being just around the corner, I didn't even want to hear anything related to it! It was only the following Christmas, when I had thought it over, and when I had wanted to make things special for my own children, that I had rediscovered the joy it entails, its significance, and the importance of such an occasion. Life goes on, and I wanted to continue what my mother used to do, that is helping others in any way I could! Coming to my excuse ... if I can call it so ... my mother had been a dedicated nurse before having kids, and afterwards, she continued showing that side of her character doing a lot of charity work. After her death, me and DH decided to put any amount of money we could save by eliminating some expenses we deemed possible, and put these funds into charity contributions to those institutions in most need ... amongst them are those my mum used to aid. Sending Christmas cards had been one of our options. We still send a few cards to those whom we rarely see, or communicate with, but we have found that giving an affection hug and face-to-face, sincere greetings, is more powerful than giving a piece of paper, which, most probably, would be thrown away, especially when we're talking about friends whom we meet regularly, or, in this case, communicate with regularly! And, whoever is married like me knows how important it is not to go against any type of compromise which could have been done with one's partner! So please excuse my not sending any cards ... I'll surely fill you with a lot of typed greetings, though, as always, with the hope that all of you would be aware of my gratitude, love, and sincere respect, towards each and every one of you!

Marie I can imagine what feelings you must have at this time of year and I think I speak on behalf of all when I say we totally understand! That you have continued to make a celebration out of the day for your children is remarkable and you deserve credit for the strength of character you show by doing so!

Green! I appreciate your comment a lot!

Marie and Katse sorry to hear about both your sad experiences around the Christmas Holidays. You both show incredible strength by continuing the traditions you do.

Originally posted by clouddancer Marie and Katse sorry to hear about both your sad experiences around the Christmas Holidays. You both show incredible strength by continuing the traditions you do.

I'll echo CD's comments. We've been lucky that Christmas hasn't been hit with family tragedy, but Thanksgiving has got it twice, Easter once, and my parents' anniversary. A friend told me not too long ago that "we all do what we must" and that is even truer at holidays and birthdays. Maddy, I must also decline, for financial reasons. This year, I'll be lucky to get cards out to distant family and don't wish to commit to this and only be able to send a small percentage of cards or none. As with last year, what little I've got needs to go to my kids.

Oh Marie - I'm so sorry to hear that. I can totally understand your sadness, but applaud that you keep making it a fun time for your children.

again to all, and to all those who have suffered a loss of any beloved person! Amethyst, I'm sorry you had to undergo such experiences! No matter on what day this happens, it's always sad, and my experience is nothing different from all of yours! But, I sincerely thank all of you who have understood my not joining this activity, especially Maddy! I've thought it's only fair to give you a deserved explanation!

I'm in. Christmas is not always about getting. This year my sister and I have decided it's about giving, I'm doing my family history with my mum, (Back to 1600's) this year we have lost 5 family members, many survived WW1 & WW2,( we are trying to get their stories and legacy together for the younger members off our family) this year we have decided to that instead of xmas presents we are going to send "care packages" to the "Diggers" OS (in honour off their memories) Thou my life has not been pleasant I can still count my blessing - I have all my limbs, I have survived so many bad things, I have wonderful memories of those I have lost, I can raise a glass to the lifes they lived. Gatchamarie and Berg Katse I, to applaude your strength and spirit my mum reminded me of an old Irish quote "May the road rise up to meet you may the wind be ever at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields, and until we meet again, may god hold you in the hollow of his hand" To this I'lll add... "and may the badness be lost on the way to your door" I send you both hugs and blessings from over the ocean

Hugs and blessings to you, LW! I reciprocate your sentiment, as you too show a lot of strength! You're also doing such a significant, and special thing by doing your family history! Such a lovely tribute! And, you won't believe how much that Irish quote of your mum's happens to mean to me! The moment I've read your post, my mind immediately matched it with the same quote imprinted in bold letters right over a decorative tray my own mother had brought me as a souvenir from a visit to Ireland, a country which she loved! This tray is one of those items which I cherish most, and my mother always used to seek for a meaning in any of her tokens! Many thanks for the warm thought!

Just wanted to let the people on the list that I owe cards to that I finally got the cards sent this morning. I fear I may have got them out too late to get to those of you not in North America to get yours by Christmas. I apologize for my slowness and just wanted to let you all know I hadn't forgot you.

Thank you for your honesty, I understand that not all of life goes to plan and at this time of year , well ,it's so busy and rushed, sometimes it's so hard to get the normal things done, as well as all the extra things... I...for one... love the idear of getting things in the mail , after christmas, it's like finding that extra present with your name on it under the christmas tree.... "oh christmas tree, oh christmas tree, what presents have you got for me"

Garnet, your not alone. Adding my apologies too for the tardiness of my holiday cards. I started out really well and then the kids started in our their annual, "Let's see how bad we can be before Christmas and still get stuff from Santa." Grrr... I had wanted to include something in the cards and I may just have to send it later since I'm running out of time. **sighs** Wishing everyong Happiest of Holidays and determined if tomorrow is a snow day to finish them all up. Shame I can't just tell the people at work to leave me alone while I shop and write out my Christmas cards. **Don't think it would go over too well** LW: I'm like you though I love getting stuff after the holidays, it's fun getting something other than bills in Jan. My relatives use to say if they got a card from me by Valentines Day I was early, but I promise not to be that bad this year.

Well I finally got the Christmas cards in the mail today. My apologies to those of you on the list. I had something I wanted to put in them, and when I finally got around to getting it copied the kids kept moving my stuff. But they are finally in the mail and its not even Feb. Enjoy!

Thank you everybody who took part - it was great to receive your cards (Puffles - late is better than never!!!) I hope we can do this again next year - so don't get rid of those addresses!!!

Madilayn - Sending you a great big thank you for taking the time to ask around and collect addresses.