My Favorite Gifts at Christmastime

My favorite gifts at Christmastime
aren't from expensive stores.
They're cards and letters that arrive
each day at my front door.

These tiny gifts are works of art,
quite bright and colorful.
They warm my heart on dark, cold days
when skies are gray and dull.

Each card reminds me I am rich
with friends and family.
Each calls to mind our treasured ties
and priceless memories.

Some cards contain a photograph
of how the kids have grown
attesting to the speed of life
and how the years have flown.

Some tell me of a parent's death
or of a grandchild's birth,
while some describe a brand-new job
and renewed sense of worth.

Some cards announce an address change.
Some voice a prayer request
acknowledging what steals their joy
or ties them up with stress.

Some jot a note. Some type (a lot).
Some simply sign their name.
And while some cards are duplicates,
no two are quite the same.

Each one's a chance to reconnect
with those I rarely see.
A one-way chat with one whose card
conveys they thought of me.

And I of them. I'll write them back.
Though postage isn't cheap,
the custom of exchanging cards
is one I plan to keep.

* Another reason to send actual cards at Christmas time (rather than just e-mailing family greetings) is to help our struggling United States Postal Service.