It's in the Cards. Really. Soon.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Here’s an idea.  A modest proposal, if you will.

How about if we extend the holiday card season through, say mid-January? So you can send Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, solstice, New Years, Boxing day, whatever cards. Without anyone saying—oh, duh,  she’s procrastinating

Because I love getting real card-cards, in the actual mail. I even like sending them. Kind of. When I get in the mood. It’s fun to look a the the list of names, and remember the people, and have a pang of happiness, or nostalgia, or love. And it's extra fun when you are finished.

But yikes. I can NEVER  get them done in time. NEVER.  Just about the time I can say, "Well, okay, then, time to do the cards," it’s like, the day after Christmas. And I’m too late.

But listen.  There’s that whole weird week before New Years where you kind of have a moment to breathe. Why don’t we make THAT card-starting week?

So, yeah, all that is to say I’m getting started now, which means—finding the cards. Forgive me okay? They’re coming. Probably. It’s all in the works.

How do you handle holiday cards? 

LUCY BURDETTE: OH you mean that week between Christmas and New Year's isn't for cards?? I love getting cards, and sending news to folks we haven't seen, but it is a big job. Last year we whacked our list in half and still had a hundred to send.

And sadly, we are label-challenged. that would make it so much easier--to have them all printed out and be able to stick them to the envelopes, no muss no fuss. Another problem--figuring out what's going on the cards. We used to send out a letter and a card. Cut that back to a photo card with a short note already printed inside. But what to say? No one wants to be pinned as the people who brag. But just a signature? what's the point?

Mine are supposed to be on the way too:). Oh wait, special delivery, here they are. Please enjoy the lighthouse growing out of John's head.  And then hope you will consider yourself carded! Have a lovely holiday, Reds! 

HANK:  Too funny!  Love this...

HALLIE EPHRON: Lucy, you're you're "down to" a hundred??? I'm down to about eight. Mailed cards, that is. I channel the guilt I feel about not sending cards into an email writing binge. Same week I do all my charitable giving. Not a form letter or an e-card but an actual message to the individuals whom YES I do miss seeing and want to catch up with. But I love Love LOVE getting cards. My daughter and her husband send one with my granddaughter Franny on it which I adore. My nephew and his wife sent a beautiful photo card - the best part is the calligraphed note and address. No labels for her. All take pride of place on my fireplace mantle.

SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL: I don't do cards. In the household division of labor, Noel does the holiday cards. Which turn into New Year cards most years, I think? I dunno — I have to say cards are my least favorite part of the season and a few years I gave up on them -- too much stress. So now I just sign whatever Noel puts in front of me. I know it sounds kind of "Bah, humbug," but I really do love other things (lights, carols, cookies) and just don't have time anymore for the other things. Plus, everyone's online now! I do use a great online card company — Jacquie Lawson. http://www.jacquielawson.com She does adorable cards with animation and music — love them and recipients seem to, as well!

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I ping-pong around the Christmas card universe: there have been years when we've done a photo card and sent it out to every friend, family member, bookstore owner and librarian we know; years when I've done e-cards (they're so pretty, but it still feels like cheating), years when we send out eight, like Hallie, and years when I get overwhelmed and nothing goes to anyone. I agree with Hank, I love to get real mail, but in some ways, it does seem superfluous in the age of Facebook.

There clearly needs to be a movement to make New Years cards the big thing. It makes more sense - non-sectarian, affects everyone, and best of all, those of us who are always a day late can get them written in the quiet days after Christmas!

RHYS BOWEN: Oh, I do cards. We have so many friends and relatives who live abroad that Christmas is sometimes the only time we hear from them. I usually write and address my foreign cards in November, while I watch TV or listen to music. We used to send over 100 but alas the number dwindles each year as older friends and cousins are no more. I used to write a long message inside each card. Now we do an email newsletter to go with them, which makes the job a lot simpler.   And I've become a big fan of Jacquie Lawson cards because they are so pretty and you get music as well (and I can send them at the last minute without a guilty conscience).

DEBORAH CROMBIE: We've made our own cards for nearly twenty years. First, it was hand-carved, hand-stamped woodcuts. Then it was photos, with a long printed note. Then, a couple of years ago, we looked at the price of double-fold, really nice cards with envelopes and a list that approached a couple of hundred (quite a few out of the US) and said, "ACK."  So we started sending e-cards, but we still do the photos ourselves. And we get later and later. Last year we sent them on the 19th. This year, it's--oh, wait, it can't really be that late, can it? 

We spent hours last night trying to wrangle the dogs--or the cats, if they were handy--into a suitable pose. Do you know how hard it is to get two dogs, both looking at the camera, in front of the Christmas tree? Don't ask. I think we will have one dog on our card...

But we LOVE getting cards, and notes, and even the infamous Christmas letter. 

And I send Jacqui Lawson cards, too. What's nice about those, and about the e-cards we send, is the option to reply. So that way we keep in touch with friends that we don't see often.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: So Reds and readers—how are you doing? Writing cards like mad? Wincing when you get the mail and see how organized your friends are?  (They are SO much fun to open!) What do you think about ecards? Do you notice your cards are dwindling?  Will you give us until the first week of January?  Tell us what’s in the cards for you…

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AND CONGRATULATIONS to the winner from Saturday of Connie Mayo's THE ISLAND OF LOST BOYS is Kait Carson! Please email megan "at" sparkpointstudio "dot" com and let her know where to send your book.