The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

Christmas Cards...

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"I found some Christmas cards from last year!" yelled Maggie from another part of the house.

"Put them in the recycle bin!" I called back.

"No. I mean I’ve found ones we forgot to send last year. They’re sealed and addressed, ready to go..."

Christmas cards are not our strong point, to honest.

If it was in fact the case that it’s the thought that counts, then we’d be fine: we really do think about sending them. But success is a hit or miss affair with far more misses than hits.

It’s one of the reasons I’ve embraced the Internet with such fervour. Email is a wonderful thing, especially when you can attach images or create a link to an online card.

I know, I know, it is not the same as a physical card that can be put on the mantelpiece, or hung on a length of string along with the ones sent by those who are organised and had everything sent long before the last posting dates.

However, it does at least mean I get the message out, and the carbon footprint is much lighter.

Below is one of the photos I took of Meg at the weekend just past, while standing out on the frozen loch at the bottom of the town, where the sun was coming through the trees behind. It seemed ideal for this year's "card"



If you would like a high resolution copy to print off and pin to your mantelpiece then click through on this link and follow the instructions:

http://kimayres.co.uk/xmas2010.htm

In the meantime, I wish each and every one of you a wonderful festive season and all the very best for the New Year.
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26 comments

The Unbearable Banishment said...

Email is wonderful but texting is even BETTER! It's the least intrusive way to reach out to someone. I'm a middle aged man and I text like a 14-year old girl. I simply can't help myself.

Merry Christmas from the shores of the U.S.

Brave Astronaut said...

I wish the same for you and your wonderful family. The "card" has been printed out and added to the collection of non-green cards already received.

May Father Christmas bring you everything you wish for. Remember, he does exist.

Eryl said...

In the spirit of green I won't print mine out but will make it my desktop picture.

We have, finally, stopped even trying to send cards. This looks like a very good alternative.

Ron said...

Now that is a fine Christmas card Kim! I confess I am a big Christmas card freak. I have been sending them since I was a teenager (13 I think). And I DO believe I have EVERY Christmas card I've ever sent. Yes, I will be one of those old folk who, when they die, the person who cleans out their house will say "Why in the world did he keep all these Christmas cards?" I have no answer. Hoarder that I am. Now if you will excuse me, I think I have a couple more cards to send out.

Aoife.Troxel said...

You're telling us? We sent out double batches to quite a few people because my mother wrote and addressed them and some even made to the stamping stage but they just never quite made it all the way to the post box last year. Anyway, it explained why we got so few this year :D
Lovely picture by the way; I was out taking snow photos today but the snow has begun to melt so lots of the lovely icy scenes from earlier in the week are but puddles now.

Lynne said...

I too am a slacker when it comes to sending cards. I have every intention to write them up and send them out...but alas most of the time I just don't do it. LOL

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Hindsfeet said...

Oh my Dear!!!! This actually made me exclaim aloud, "oh WOW!!"...really truly......thank you for such a lovely sentiment, Kim.....This was such a meaningful gift to stumble on for me today....

....and thanks for letting us print it out; I will indeed do so....this really caught my heart...

Thanks for your wishes....sending many many back to you and yours...

Sini said...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family.

angryparsnip said...

I'm the opposite.
I love cards and Christmas cards are the best.
I love seeing reading, holding the card... but that works for me not everyone.
I can't help it...
was born a Greeting Card artist and
I have over the years worked for many Greeting Card Companies. Now I have my own company.

When I see a card among all the bills and adverts in the mail I am a happy person.

e-mail is great for talking with my family and friends especially all my family in Japan.

as for my carbon footprint, I reduce in many other ways so I don't feel so bad.

I love your Christmas Card this year. Beautiful !

Merry Christmas and a very wonderful New Year to you and your family... from Tucson, Arizona

Cheers, parsnip

Falak said...

I think the tradition of sending cards during Christmas is a wonderful one albeit a time consuming one from what I hear :) Wish we had something similar to it for our festivals too...
Thanks for the wonderful greeting card with Meg in it.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to your family and you!

hope said...

Ah, my list of cards to mail grows smaller each year. And the one person I can always count on for a card...is still MIA.

So I too will remain "green" and enjoy this image on my screen. The best of everything to you and those you love!

Susan Carpenter Sims said...

I can't help but think "Carbon Footprints in the Snow" would make an interesting carol.

Helen said...

Hey Bearded One - beautiful card!! An overwhelming lack of mantelpiece is the only thing stopping me downloading it!! But thanks for that, and a very festive Christmas and New Year to you and your family!!!!

Brindy said...

I am also very good at buying cards well in time, even got them written by Dec 1st this year, still didn't get around to posting them until Monday, but it is the thought that counts.

Your card is beautiful.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.

Kim Ayres said...

UB - like a 14 year old girl? Does that mean your thumbs move faster than the eye can see? Merry Christmas :)

Brave Astronaut - of course he exists (for a given definition of existence). Hope he is good to you this Christmas :)

Eryl - I think posted cards are getting rarer and rarer from us. There may come a time when we abandon the guilt as well as the practice...

Ron - Do you ever get them out of the boxes and look at them, or are you just happy in the knowledge they are there?

Aoife - if you have puddles, then make paper boats to float on them and take photos of them :)

Lynne - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too :)

Hindsfeet - hope you have a good festive season :)

Sini - thank you - and all the best for the festive season to you and yours :)

Parsnip - I do love them and appreciate the tactile nature of holding an actual card. It's just the guilt I find hard to cope with :)

Falak - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family too :)

Hope - wishing you the best of everything too :)

Polinatrix - come to think of it, this might be what the coalman left... :)

Helen - and a very merry one to you and yours too :)

Jacqui - I'm impressed with your organisation :) Hope you have a good one :)

Unknown said...

I printed out your card and it is up with all my other cards and quite beautiful. You have a way of capturing spirit and emotion and goodness in your pictures.

Or you have really good subjects.

Eric Fischer said...

"smaller carbon footprint" is that a euphemism for "lazyiness"?
Seriously I'm too old school and Dutch protestant in my bones to think that unless hard work is involved it's value decreases-trying hard to change this-starting by printing out your greeting card!
Thanks and stay warm in the frozen north.

Vicky said...

Merry Christmas to you and everyone in the family Kim. :)

V said...

Happy Christmas to you and your family, I hope you hav a wonderful day and that the elves have been good to you all, V

Pat said...

Meg is watching over us this Christmas:)

Eric Fischer said...

Every time I see updates from you I read, 'bumblings of the rabid one', it's my Freudian eyesight.

Anna van Schurman said...

Happy new year to you too.

Charlie said...

Thank you so much for the Christmas card, Kim.

If we believe in daemons then we must believe in angels—and I truly believe that Meg is an angel.

Merry Christmas to the Ayres family from Martha and Charlie.

Kim Ayres said...

Carole - everyone is potentially a good subject. Sometimes I get lucky in capturing them :)

Eric - my wife has one of those work-ethic things. Personally I think it gets in the way of invention. Washing machines and TV remote controls, for example, would never have been invented by someone who felt hard work was good for you :)

Vicky - and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours :)

V - I'll just ply the elves with more alcohol until they become amenable :)

Pat - I'm sure she'd give you a hug if you lived closer too :)

Anna - hope it's a good one for you :)

Charlie - she's no angel when she's refusing to get ready for bed, but I appreciate the sentiment :) Wishing you and Martha the very best this festive period!

Sandy's witterings said...

I haven't posted any either Kim.
A merry Christmas to you and your family.

Kim Ayres said...

And to you Sandy :)

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