December 12, 2022
I love Christmas cards. I love brainstorming themes or using song lyrics to create something fun. I love working with my designer friend Karen who brings my crazy ideas to life…or my illustrator bestie Joanna who draws our family with so much thought and personality. I’m a sucker for the paper and the envelopes — I’ve always been a nut for paper, pens, and stationery products. Admittedly, I don’t love taking the girls’ pictures these days, but one day they’ll appreciate it, right? And then there is the address stamp that the girls adore using (and often stamp all over their arms).
The process of addressing envelopes and sometimes scribbling short notes — but always thinking about the recipient — brings me joy during the holiday season. As many friends and family have stopped sending holiday cards because it’s just too much (which I totally get), I will keep making cards as long as I can muster because it is almost a meditation for me. It’s a way for me to send out good vibes to so many that I love. And maybe (hopefully) make them laugh a bit.
But once, many, many years ago, we had a Christmas card debacle that has become Wilson family lore around here. Every year, when we pull out our cards, we laugh about it. I’ve shared this story with many of you over the years, but now I’m documenting it here for prosperity.
The year was 2008 when Brad & I had two little ones to share in the holiday season. Grace was 2 and Lila was 5 months — June wasn’t around quite yet. I took a photo of the two girls in matching Christmas pj’s on my bed with a note saying “Merry Christmas to All & to All a Good Night,” from the beloved poem “A Night Before Christmas.”
I used Shutterfly (whom I still love) to send out the cards. I used the option where they send cards directly from the company by adding all of our addresses to the site. We included friends and family, Brad’s coworkers and bosses at the time, and some of my work contacts. And then I had about a dozen extra cards sent to our house for anyone I missed.
A few days later, I received the extra cards…but they weren’t the card I created! Instead of my adorable little girls in their pj’s, I received 12 of these:
Description: A card with a random guy lying across a bartop. He is naked from the waist down, but his “privates” are covered by a sombrero (of course). There is a naked lady painting behind the bar and a tequila shot in front of him. The card reads “Feliz Novidong”
FELIZ NOVIDONG!!!!!
You guys, I thought it was a joke. Or a card from one of my brothers’ friends. Or something other than the card of my sweet little babies in their Christmas jammies. Who sent this…and why are there 12 … directly from Shutterfly?! I immediately realized a grave mistake was made. After laughing a bit, it occurred to me that this was likely the card that was sent to ALL of those addresses I entered.
Then, Brad came home and saw the card and he panicked. He had only been at his job a couple of years and we sent our card to all of his bosses! Was this the card they would get from our address??
After several phone conversations with Shutterfly, they assured us this was a mistake ONLY with the 12 cards sent to our house and they reimbursed us for everything we ordered. And it was true, Brad’s bosses did not in fact receive the “Feliz Navidong” card.
I have kept the extra cards and every once in a while I send one to a friend or to one of my brothers just to remind them of this epic story. I only have 2 left and one will be kept with me forever — but maybe one of you will be lucky enough to get the other one this year.
So there you have it, the Wilson Family Christmas Card Debacle.
Feliz Navidong, ya’ll.
