And the Winners are...

I'm sure you all had walls that looked like this over the Christmas break:

It is now February 3rd, and I have finally come to grips with the fact that it's past time to take down my Christmas cards and letters.

Truly, it is one of the highlights of the season for me to hear from so many old friends from all over the country from so many facets of life over so many years! I just love it.

As I was pulling your awesome cards and letters off the wall finally today, I decided that there were several Christmas cards worth mentioning. I would even go so far as to say "award winning" worthy. You people went all out this year! And so, I now present to you the categories and winners of the Christmas Card Contest.

First Card Received:

This award is very prestigious. I mean, you have got to be On. The. Ball. to be able to accomplish this. I was impressed. I'm not kidding, on Dec. 1, I open the mailbox, and BAM! there it was.

Congratulations, Jesica and Evan Eastman! (and correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't that a homemade card as well?) Wow. Extra bonus points for that!

Next we have the Best Family Photo Award. This was a competitive category, no doubt. But, I just loved the Ashton Family Picture! It's just Fabulous.

Okay, moving on to the Most Exotic Card. I had to make up a category for this card because it was so freaking awesome. Congratulations to Jack and Allison. They win because all these pictures were taken by them within the past year. Now that's Exotic! whoa.

Now for a potentially controversial and highly subjective category: Cutest Kids. Come on now, let's be honest. All of us send pictures to each other of our progeny, trying to capture just how insanely cute our own children are. And there were a LOT of cute kids. But, Heidi, seriously, it's just not fair. Two girls with blonde ringlets and then TWINS! And then there's their cute names! Lucy, Chelsea, Eliza, and Jillian! No competition. Congratulations!

Next up we have the Cleverest Letter Category. This is a highly competitive field with many many strong contenders, which is why I have personally dropped out of this race many years ago. This year, though, the winners definitely go to Alan and Vickie Eastman. Their whole year described in hilarious detail around numbers. It was clever, informative, and very funny!

For the category of Card from the Longest-Lost Friend, the winner is Kim Taylor! Holy crap! Last time I saw her I was 19 years old on a study abroad in Jerusalem. And I'm pretty sure she didn't have 5 kids then, but she looks EXACTLY the SAME! How did she do it?! Seriously, though, Kimmie, I'm so glad you tracked me down and sent me your card!

Now, for one of the highest honors of the night, we go to the category of Funniest Letter & Picture. Every year, this couple pulls it out, but this year, they surpassed even their own usual greatness. If I may be so bold as to quote for you their closing line,

"We hope you find ways this season to roast metaphorical chestnuts on the open fire Wall Street has made of our tax money. Happy Holidays!"

Nothing put me in the spirit of Christmas quite as quickly as this card did. Congratulations, Erin and John (who are posing in their picture as a Democrat and a Republican, respectively). Nicely done.

But then there is the category of "Most Elaborate Card" and some of you, (you know who you are), go a little crazy in this competition. But seriously, what is the point of trying to win this category when you've got Lisa Andrews in the competition.? Just go home and email it, people, you'll never even get close to this:

Mm, hmmm. That is why she is the Creative Scrapbook Goddess. Don't even try, people.

On the flip side, we have those who don't bother with the family photo, or even a "Card" at all in any form, and put all their eggs in one basket: words. This is a daring move. You have to be a powerful writer to have no bling but your semantics to draw the distractable Christmas-time- letter-receiver in. It has to be GOOD. The winner in this category knows he's so good, he doesn't even bother with a special font, borders, paper, clip-art - nothin. And every year when I open John and Jean Muir's Christmas letter, I stop whatever I'm doing, nestle into a comfortable position, and read the 2-page letter in its entirety. Yes, it's that good.

Don't believe me? Take this paragraph, for example:

"...Jean admitted that she too had made a great step out of her comfort zone by creating a family blog. When I queried her about its location and content, she admitted that, consistent with her private nature, she didn't have anything to say, so it is completely blank. That's OK with me since I don't want her blog to steal my Christmas letter mojo. Someday I may visit our family blog site to contemplate its emptiness in a Zen-like silence. If you ever stumble across it, you might consider it a rest stop on the information superhighway."

Like I said, no clip-art necessary!!

And finally, we have the Latest Christmas letter Received. I do not have this category to mock. I genuinely love all cards in all their arrival times. This way, I get to savor them longer. And for heaven's sake, if you know me, you know I could never knock down someone who is late. So, yes, Janet, even though you called it a "Valentine's Letter" you still qualify! And it's a good thing I kept my Christmas card wall up this long - you made it on for several days before they came down! :)

A sincere thank you to all our family and loved ones from all over the country for sending us Christmas cards! I miss you and love love love getting your fabulous cards, pictures and letters each year! If you didn't win this year, you may submit your entries again starting on Dec. 1st 2009. :)