The Card Concept: Annual Favorites

 It's a fun challenge at The Card Concept that simply invites us to share a favorite card this year or a photo of our Christmas tree or holiday decoration.

I find that picking a favorite card is hard because this hobby isn't just about the card - it's also about remembering why you created it and thinking of the person you sent it to.  There are memories attached to each card that impact our emotional reaction to the card.  But that's really why we have this hobby, isn't it?  I can't think of any other hobby that has such an impact.  We have the fun of creating cards - each of them a little work of art - and personalizing them for each of recipients. Then we impact the people we send to. We give them encouraging thoughts and hugs, we share high fives, we comfort them when needed, and we bring them joy. 

As I scrolled through my cards, I realized I wanted to narrow it down to a "hugs" card, because that's what I want to send to each of you after these last few long years. Hugs of comfort, but also a big thank you hug for being part of my blog and part of this challenge!  

Here's my favorite card (with the details found here)

I'm going to play both ends of the challenge and also share some holiday decorations but with a story.  I have been married for over 30 years.  I met and married my husband within one year so we actually never spent a Christmas together before we were married. The 30 years notwithstanding, I would not recommend marrying without understanding your partner's Christmas foibles. It turns out my husband doesn't like lights on the house - in fact, he passionately hates them.

I've been crushed all these years.  I'm not going to mention when I grew, but when and where I did grow up, we took lights seriously. Every house sparkled - you couldn't help but be filled with excitement and joy. In fairness to my husband, he grew up in an entirely different part of the country, and with the style of houses in that area, their decorations were candles in every window. 

Sadly, the house we lived in for 29 years didn't have windows that worked with candles and it most definitely did not have Christmas lights so it remained dark.  (I'm only talking about the outside - I did the insides!!)

With our children currently 21 and 25 years old, we down-sized a few years back into a ranch-style home in town (our last house was on acreage) with an easy walk to groceries and restaurants and breweries.  I'm loving it.  Not to mention that it came with an office that feels like it was made just for my cardmaking!  

Then one Christmas, I realized it had windows!!!  Big open windows!  Windows into which candles fit perfectly! 

There are five candles in that front room and eleven in the kitchen.  Say "hello" to one of my cats!

Each of the side windows has two trios of candles for 12 more candles. Then what you can't see off to the right is the candles in the craft room and the master.  And of course, the tree is in the front corner window.

It's not fancy but I smile, take a deep breath, and just feel the simple peace of Christmas every time that I come home! 

And with that - I wish you peace and also the overwhelming joy of Christmas!  See you back at The Card Concept in the New Year!