Gini and Karl sat on the floor of their living room and made Christmas cards. Gini loved doing it. She was cutting and gluing and drawing and all her cards were made with lots of details. There were Christmas trees with bright shining candles, snowmen in all colours and forms, Santa Claus on his sleigh with a big bag full of presents, stars and lots more. Karl too was cutting and gluing but he didn't enjoy it as much as Gini. He had liked doing a few cards but now he'd prefer to go back to playing with lego, doing experiments or playing and creating games on the computer. "Why don't we buy our Christmas cards as everybody else?", he complained. "Because self-made Christmas cards are much more personal", said mom Sara. "Well,", said Karl. "maybe I should invent a machine that makes Christmas cards that look like I had made them." Gini laughed. "Well, have fun building it. That's probably not that easy though. But you could make stencils like I did, then you can easily make those things that you liked again. Or you could try to create stamps. That could look great too". Karl thought for a moment, then he cut some stencils. Then he took his paint box, a small solid tea strainer and an old tooth brush. He always covered other parts. That was quick and really looked good. Proudly Karl looked at his cards. He now had many colourful Christmas cards. Now he only needed to make the stamp with the Christmas greetings. During that time the cards could dry. He looked for his letter stamps then put them together so that it read "Merry Christmas".
After that he washed his hands and ate a few Christmas cookies. "Why do we send Christmas cards at all?" he asked. Of course I can understand that we send one to aunt Lucy or to grandma and granddad. I really like them so I want to make a card for them. But why send cards to people we haven't heard from for ages?, Karl added. Well, replied mom Sara, Christmas time is a good time to remember old friends even if we didn't spend much time. It's a good time to reach out to them and shows them that we still care. Sometimes this helps to get back in touch again.
"I make Christmas cards because I have fun making them", said Gini. "And most people like to receive them. So I had fun making them and at the same time people have fun receiving them, that's double fun". "If I am honest I also like making them." said Karl. "And of course I like receiving them!" And with these words he went back to work and joyfully stamped "Merry Christmas" on each card.
It's a pity this wonderful Christmas tradition is slowly dying. Why not delighting someone with a card this year?
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