No More Paper on the Mantle
As a youngster, and even during the early years of our marriage, we would decorate the house with Christmas cards that came to our mailbox. Sometimes the cards would be taped or tacked around a door frame. If we had a fireplace the cards would be placed on the mantle for display. If there was no fireplace mantle, a side table or two worked just as well for the card repository.
At some point, many people have replaced sending paper cards with an annual Christmas letter. .
Here’s a little historical fact; the first Christmas letter was sent way back in 1534 when the Bishop of Rochester, John Fisher, sent Thomas Cromwell a letter wishing him a “mery Christenmas”. Fisher was in prison for denying the King’s supremacy. In the letter Fisher asked Cromwell to give him some food, a shirt, a sheet, books, and a priest to hear his confession. He also begged Cromwell to mediate with the King on his behalf to be released from prison (source; theanneboleynfiles.com).
Unfortunately for Fisher, the letter didn’t work, and he was beheaded in June 1535.
How many of us these days send a letter — no, not a paper letter that can be displayed somewhere in the home — but an electronic letter, usually in PDF format, with a few photos inserted instead of a paper card. For those who are too time crunched to put together a letter, paper or digital, there are even…
