After eleven months of receiving far more e-mail than any other form of communication, one of my favorite aspects of the winter holiday season is the treat of receiving real mail. My friend Tarrah loves it, too--so much that she makes it into a daily holiday ritual.

I wait until the kids are napping, when I sneak out to the mailbox to retrieve the post. (Some of the joy is lost when envelopes and pictures are "accidentally" destroyed by my children's eager hands.) With a cup of tea, I sit by the Christmas tree and read away. I love every last detail...from the horror stories of hospital visits, to the funny antics of kids...from the joy of the arrival of new family members, to the sadness of lost loved ones. Later, the kids and I sit together, look at the pictures and read about what their friends and relatives are doing--but only after Mommy has recharged with a little quiet time of her own.

What a great way to take what some might see as a time-consuming obligation and turn it into a joyful tradition!

Here are some other ways to make the most of the cards you receive this season.

After you've enjoyed the day's collection of greetings, reduce bulk by noting any address changes and recycling the envelopes. If a card comes with a photo or other loose enclosure, it's okay (really!) to staple it to the card so they don't get separated.

• Adorn a rectangular basket with holiday ribbon, pinecones or pine tree cuttings
• Decorate a shoebox with cards recycled from prior years
• Use a holiday-themed gift bag
• Hang them with twine and mini-clothespins on walls, ledges, doorways or stairways
• Fasten them to bulletin boards: cork, magnetic or crisscrossed ribbon

When the holidays are over, pack away this year's cards with your holiday decorations. Life is fragile. After the loss of a loved one, that last note, picture or signature becomes a treasure.

Beyond one year's worth of cards, you'll want to set some limits. Decide how much space you are willing to reserve for your cards, and stick to it, whether you choose an envelope, box or bin. It's fun to look back at holiday cards from years past, but it's not fun if there are so many cards that the sight of them makes you cringe. You cannot enjoy the ones that are truly special to you if first you have to wade through stacks of those that hold less meaning.

For years, I hand made elaborate Christmas cards for our friends and family. (Then I had children!) I would hate to think of anyone keeping one of those cards just because "she worked so hard on them." If you happen to be one of those recipients, you have my permission to recycle those cards. I will never know--or care--if you let it go. Same goes for anyone else's cards you're hanging onto. Maybe it will help you to think of it this way:
It is not your responsibility to preserve other people's family histories. Free up some space!

When you're ready to let go of some cards, use your creativity to reuse them:

• Design new holiday cards, post cards or thank-you notes
• Make bookmarks for books you're giving as gifts

• Construct small gift boxes (see www.jenniferswanson.com/make-a-box.htm for basic instructions)
• Cut them into strips for paper chains or napkin rings
• Arrange and frame your favorites as a seasonal replacement of other pictures hanging in your home
• Use jumbo craft punches, die cuts or cookie cutters to create
  • Tree ornaments
  • Decorative holiday mobiles
  • Gift tags or trimmings for gift bags
  • Scrapbook embellishments

St. Jude's Ranch for Children used to be famous for accepting donated cards, but they received so many that they couldn't keep up with them all. Instead, contact local senior centers or churches, and ask them if they have crafting groups that could use your cards.

Finally, whatever is left can be recycled. Check with your local curbside recycler before including any non-paper items such as plastic or metal foil, as these can contaminate the recycling process.

Enjoy every card, letter and picture you receive this year. Give each one appropriate time and space, think carefully about how long to keep it, and be creative in finding a way to give it a new life.

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