Ok, you all are much more "crafty" than I am. colored balls? yikes. How about saying Thank you, and maybe stamping something Christmassy inside with the note? Mention how I wish they were home for Christmas, but because of them, I'm gonna have a safe one? Yeah, I would say it with better words, but ya'll get the idea.

I think we need to set up a thread for stories involving confusing wallyworld or other store employees while shopping for "our guys". I went looking for christmas cards. Asked a wallyworld employee if they had such a thing out yet. She looked at me like I'd grown extra noses or something... "well, no," she said "but the school stuff is over there for August"...lol. I didn't bother to explain the whole shipping time involved and Afganistan and....yeah, I would have just grown another nose, I'm sure.

Sarah G.

If you don't want to make your own Christmas cards, you can order them online: 

http://www.mileskimball.com/MilesKimball/DefaultXGCards.aspx?SiteNum=0&TabNum=3  

 As far as I can tell the price starts at $9.99/25 some boxes have 20, price includes personalization on card and envelope.

http://www.currentcatalog.com/~Value+Packs.html

You have a lot of choices of exactly what you want and what you want to spend.  

Have fun,

Vicki

Sign me up - I'll get my co-workers to participate!

Please sign me up. I have a group that is going to help me get them decorated.

Thanks

Heidi

 Hi everyone -  A couple of ideas for those needing cards:

check the thrift stores for boxes of cards - nobody is buying them right now so they may have some (that is where mine are coming from, I have bought a ton of them over the spring and summer as I see them);

try online greeting card companies - I just got a leanin' tree christmas card catalog in the mail and I am sure there are lots of other places that have cards - someone had a link above for another company;

print up your own from either a software program or pick up some printables online - I have used DLTK cards for kids before - you can type a custom message in many of the styles  then all you need to do is sign them. They also have customizable writing paper for those who like to handwrite letters. (Staples has white copy paper for 99 cent with rebate this week for a ream or if you want to spend a little more get some of the fancier heavy weight paper.)

 I haven't checked this whole thread to see if anyone has mentioned "Dollar Stores".  Ours have good quality Christmas cards for $1.00 per box of 8, 12, 15, etc.  

Yep! Will be hitting mine this weekend to get those little gems!

Heidi

Yay!  We hit the FIFTY percent mark for signups.  Welcome to Hedie, Balt and Debiann!  Thank you all.

Just wanted to say, has been some questions about weight in the priority envelope.  If everyone agrees, we can leave the envelopes out.  You would already have your envelopes so as you get the new cards you can stuff them.  I am still payiing for return postage, no matter what it costs.  Merry AUGUST!  (wants to work for walmart so bad she spends every day over there shopping).  Just wanted to say I see a lot of names on the website that aren't signed up yet.  If you know someone give them a backrub, and hot cocoa and guide their little hand to say "I Do" to the card swap.  LOL

 I had a really great long weekend and did...nothing.  LOL

 I came across this poem and wanted to share it with everyone in the card swap.  I think it sums up nicely everything we are trying to do.

http://www.poetryamerica.com/read_poems.asp?id=263572 

Because You Were There

© By Jim Harrison

You went away so long ago, to a place you'd never been
To lend a hand of help & strength to those with too few friends.

Though many times it was so hard for me to understand
why you were among the chosen to defend another's land.....

In time I came to realize and grow in admiration
of the love and courage you generously gave

to help protect and serve our nation.
More times than I can now recall, words of thanks were seldom heard.

And even though it hurt you sore, your devotion to us never swerved.
You truly bore the call to duty as a badge of honor & gratitude

It's as if somehow you were saying 'Thanks'
to those who loved and protected you.

So many have stood across the years,
went to serve but could not come home.....

They gave their all and even more,
So peace and freedom more could know.

So, for me, 1 day a year's not enough
to tell you all how much we care.....

How much we love, admire and honor you all
for we all know.....

We're all here because you were there.
'Inspired by and in humble recognition of all Veterans

every soldier, sailor, Marine, pilot, serviceman and
servicewoman, medic, nurse, and so on,

who gave and those who continue to give,
themselves on behalf of others.

In deepest admiration and love for you all,
James E. Harrison

saved by the grace of God, April 17, 1977
honored to be an American since July, 1957

If some send postcards instead of cards then they won't have any envelopes to go with the cards they get.  Also if some are buying Christmas cards at thrift stores and dollar stores they aren't all going to be the same size and use the same size of envelope. 

Absolutely true!  But a box of 5 x 7 envelopes isn't that much and most cards will fit in that or are smaller than that.  So maybe if you are making cards bigger than standard size you include the envelpe, or we can put a 5 x 7 cap on it.  Decorate the envelopes. We will work it out....we are JUNKIES!!!

 Thanks Lisa. Love this one . I will add to my collection. Have a great day!!

Candy 

Lisa,

  Can we discuss the envelope situation some more?  Many of us decorate our envelopes and put return address labels on them. I also usually include a couple items inside the card, and wouldn't want anything lost during transit and sorting if not enclosed in an envelope. Would mailing them in a larger regular envelope (padded or otherwise) instead of the priority flat-rate cause financial hardship for anyone?  Anyone else have thoughts on this?  Thanks!

I really think we are okay, Junkies.  <snuggle hugs>  Here is what I got off the USPS.com website.

My flat rate envelopes have been pretty full coming and going for the past card swaps so I'm not sure it will hold 50.  This time I sent them in a regular large envelope with a piece of cardboard and sent them 1st class because the due date is still a month away and it only cost me $3.08.  I do agree with Cheryl about the envelopes.  Maybe we could send them in a first class envelope instead of priority, but I don't know if the weight would make the price more than the 4.80.  I'll do whatever you want  because you are the hostess and have made a generous offer for the postage.  You've really been doing a good job at recruiting!!

okay Lisa...count me in!  I just remembered I found a ton of great cards last year after Christmas and stocked up!

Email or PM me with the details please!