Christmas Letters to Ward Missionaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our ward came up with a clever idea to send Christmas greetings to the missionaries serving from our ward.  We have a LOT!!  They cut rectangles of Christmas wrapping paper (just leave the width and cut the length only) and used push pins to attach them to the carpeted walls in the cultural hall.  Attach name tags above each paper (see photo) so everyone knows who they're writing to...or you could just write their name at the top of the paper.  Have markers available for ward members to use...pens and pencils will poke holes in the paper.  If your nervous about the markers poking through the paper and writing on the walls, just attach a piece of poster board behind each one.  Encourage the ward to write messages and not just sign their names.  Fold each one up and send it on it's merry way.  The missionaries loved it!

 

Hint:  If you're using dark wrapping paper, have the members write

on the opposite side so their messages will show up easier.

Christmas Cards

One of our favorite things that we did for Mason last year was send Christmas cards.  Not just one card from each family but one card from each member of each family.  It was so much fun! 

For this one you'll need to get started right away - gather up all your random, un-used Christmas cards from years past.  Call your friends, talk to co-workers and post on Facebook asking for left-over cards.  Everyone always has just a few that they didn't use and we all hate to throw them away.  If you need more you can purchase a box of 32 Christmas cards in four styles for $2.97 at Walmart.  Can you say bargain?

This will take a bit of prep work on your part but it will be so worth it.    Preprint address and return address labels for each Christmas card.  We are sending cards to three missionaries in our family - Mason, my niece Brooke and my parents so I only put the return label on each card.  I preprint address labels for each missionary and when a card is written the person places the address label on the envelope according to whom it is for.  I tucked all of the cards behind the flap of each envelope then stacked them in a container.  This way it is easy for someone to quickly go through the cards and choose just the perfect one without getting the envelopes all mixed up.  I put a small cup in the container to hold pens and the address labels are just tucked behind the cards.  When the card is finished the person seals it and puts it in the back or just leaves it on the table.  Gather the cards and stamp them. 

We start mailing cards the day after Thanksgiving and mail a few every day until the week of Christmas.  I have such great family that some even wrote to Mason's companion so he wouldn't feel bad with Mason getting so much mail.  Isn't that thoughtful?  Wish I could be a little bug and see his happy face each day when he goes to the mailbox.