I seem to have developed a new Christmas ritual. Perhaps it is connected with unpleasant increases in the cost of postage stamps. For the past few years, I have designed virtual cards that can be attached to e-mails. Naturally, I use photographic images that I have snapped myself. This year's picture was captured in February after a heavy snowfall. The location was Surprise View near Hathersage Booths. At the time, I just noticed those footprints heading off towards The Derwent Valley. Clearly, I am not alone in thinking of Christmas as a marking point in time. Those solitary footprints could easily symbolise our journey into the mysterious new year ahead.
We have sent traditional cards by snail mail to family and certain old friends. Through the years some of these exchanges have simply become custom and practice. The e-mail card is reserved for other contacts who for whatever reason haven't made the physical card list. This year I sent the card shown above to a few revered bloggers. If you feel miffed that you didn't receive the card, I sincerely apologise. but I have a great idea that you may wish to follow up.
Copy the card shown above and print it on to A4 paper then stick that sheet on the right hand side of an A3 sheet of card or stiff paper. Fold the card down the middle. Voila! You now have your own special Christmas card! Using a felt tipped pen, inside please write:-
To...(your name)
Merry Christmas
Best wishes,
Yorkshire Pudding
The card should be displayed in a prominent position - most likely in the middle of your mantelpiece or on the wall directly above your bedhead.
These days I only send three snail-mail Christmas cards (and they are to friends of the rare variety who don't have computers)...the rest are E-cards.
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you this tale, Yorkie...you'll appreciate it and a laugh out of it, I'm sure! Everyone I've told it to this morning, after it happened, had a good old laugh...as did I.
I got the shock of my life earlier this morning. I’d just put the key in my car door in readiness to do a final run (drive) to pick up some more stone fruits, as well as my ordered seafood for tomorrow when I heard a slight sound behind me...not a loud noise. I was miles away, lost in my own thoughts, thinking about all and sundry, but soon I had a very rude, abrupt, unexpected awakening!
There behind me, up close and personal - about a two inches from my back/shoulder or nape of my neck - were two Great Danes!! And I’m not talking about Fred and Mary of Denmark! They declined my Christmas invitation!!!
My car is a little white Toyota Echo and one of the Great Danes was white and black...he was almost as tall and as long as my car - I kid you not! The other, a light tan/brown less Greater Dane was a little, smaller, but still a huge dog! I sure didn’t expect to see those two when I turned around.
Both were as happy as Larry...big smiles on their faces; tongues flapping in the breeze, wanting to lick me to death with kindness! They bounced around like two excited kids on Christmas morning as I tried to tell them to go back home...wherever that may be! They ignored my demands, of course. I’ve never seen them before.
I have sneaking suspicion they might have been Rudolph and Prancer in disguise...checking the place out for later on tonight!!!
I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas, Yorkie...relax and enjoy the day to your utmost. My best Wishes to you all. :)
Great Danes or Reindeers?? You crack me up Lee .. How much rum did you bathe that fruit cake in? Happy Christmas x
DeleteNot enough, I think, Carol! lol
DeleteRum, Carol? Clearly Dame Lee was hallucinating. Lay off the magic mushrooms Lee!
DeleteHahahaha! That's exactly what I said to a couple of folk this morning, Yorkie...that perhaps I'd been hallucinating! lol
DeleteIt was so funny...my reaction would made a good video clip!! :)
Well, you obviously managed to detach yourself from that pleasant company and were not licked to death by Rudolph and Prancer... What happened? Did they eventually go away, could you see where they went? Up in the air again to join the rest of the crew with Santa's sleigh?
DeleteLee probably just glared at them - a look that would even scare off The Hound of the Baskervilles.
DeleteNo...after I got over the shock...my surprise at suddenly being surrounded by two massive dogs (one almost as tall as I am...and I'm tall...I used to be 5ft 9, but have probably shrunk down a bit from that these days!)
DeleteI laughed...their happiness at being free was contagious...it certainly was a memorable few moments. At least they were a friendly, happy pair.
As I pulled out of the yard I did call out to them to go back to their home wherever that may be...as I said, I've never seen them around here before. They ventured forth up this dead-end laneway to continue their adventure and were nowhere to be seen when I arrived back home again.
Yorkie...I am not the fierce old dragon you think I am!!! Watch out, laddie...or I might become so! lol
If I they land on my roof at midnight, I'll know I was correct in my assumption that they were, after all, Rudolph and Prancer in disguise!! I surely will hear them if they do land on my roof! lol
Hey, I was kidding Lee! I know that you are in reality a demure and cultured lady, tittering behind your fan.
DeleteYeah! Yeah! And you should be shaking in your boots, too! The new ones, that is!!!
DeleteTraditional Christmas Cards 0 - 2 Virtual Cristmas Cards
ReplyDeleteAnd then I got 2 copies of the same seasons greeting email from my Member of Parliament .. One to my work email and one to my private email. I have never subscribed to his mailing list. I have specifically unsubscribed previously .. And still I get spam email from the turkey.
Happy Christmas YP .. to you and Shirley and the younger Puddings .. From FNQ.
You got spam e-mail from the turkey? I didn't realise that turkeys ate "Spam" and I also didn't realise that they were able to compose e-mails!
DeleteYou've had fun with your card. Merry christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteAnd Merry Christmas to you and yours Mr Red.
DeleteChristmas Greetings Mr Pudding - may a good time be had by all at Pudding Mansion on the day.
ReplyDeleteMs Soup
I hope that The Soups enjoy bowls of Christmas soup made from reindeer meat, holly, ivy and chocolate baubles. Leave some sherry for other people Alphie!
DeleteI love sending and receiving real cards at the holidays! It's one of the few traditions I have. I like picking out the cards (usually made for UNICEF) and seeing what new holiday stamps are out at the post office. I still send out a bunch, maybe two dozen or so. :)
ReplyDeleteI am sure that my A4 card will stand out proudly above your other dwarfish cards Jennifer.
DeleteThanks and the same to you.
ReplyDeleteI didn't tell you to f off Adrian!
DeleteMerry Christmas to everyone at Pudding Towers!
ReplyDeleteAs for your great idea to print out and write our own Christmas cards and then pretend they came from you, I'm afraid I don't have any more room on the sideboard in the living room. You see, I am so terribly popular that people send me tons of Christmas cards from all over the world, and I have a hard time every year to decide which ones to put on display. This year, 15 of them made it to the sideboard. Two or three came by email and sit quietly there in my inbox.
I love sending and receiving "real" cards (not that the others are unreal), and since most of my elderly relatives in Yorkshire don't use the internet (or not much), all of them get traditional cards, and send me theirs in return.
I had no idea that you were so very, very popular Meike! I am humbled to have occasionally had the attention of such a popular human being. I am blinded by the light of your fame.
DeleteWe still do lots of snail mail cards....I like the look of them ... and that pic is beautiful ...Happy Christmas to you and yours YP x
ReplyDeleteDitto Libby. Ditto.
DeleteWe do a mixture of both. Thank you, YP and Nadolig Llawen to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteNo need to swear Jenny!
DeleteIt has pride of place above the fire - not in it as Mrs P would have preferred :)
ReplyDeleteWishing you and yours a very merry Christmas.
Happy Christmas Ian. It's so nice that you have returned to the blogosphere. One day soon I will get you back in my sidebar.
DeleteA joyous Christmas to you Yorkshire, to your lovely Summer and the children Treacle and Toffee. I presume your great uncle Figgy will be there for the occasion too? May all be contentment in the Pudding household. My love to you all. X
ReplyDeleteThanks for calling by. I'm just off to Bakewell with my old friend Spotted Dick. Have you been introduced?
DeleteMERRY CHRISTMAS ELIZABETH!
Happy Christmas, Mr and Mrs Pudding and the two little plum Puddings. May you all have a wonderful, fulfilling new year. If you would raise a glass and toast to my good health, I wouldn't mind. As I will raise a glass to you all.
ReplyDeleteI only send about 25 holiday cards and they are handmade by me, as well as the envelopes they are sent in.
I shall certainly raise a glass to you and The Big Bear Mama Thyme but I only eat toast at breakfast-time! Merry Christmas!
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ReplyDelete