Holiday mail: Fa la la humbug

That's me with a Japanese postbox in Portland, Maine this month. Alex and I took a little day trip to Maine, and we stopped in Portland; I couldn't resist running across the street to check out that red postbox. (It was given to Portland in 1989 from its Japanese sister city of Shingawa, but I have no idea why.) And then I asked him to photograph me with it.

Yes, grad school ate my life, and I haven't been blogging or writing much mail, but now that I'm on break between semesters, I've been digging back into mail as much as I'm able. It's been a great way to unwind, and although I'm still not doing as much of it as I'd like, it's great to return for a while!



I've also greatly surprised myself (and many others) by an urge to send a few holiday cards again. I know, weird for me, huh? In years past I have even posted about why I don't do holiday cards, but this year I was really feeling like less of a scrooge. I think it is because I lived and worked in a place for 7 years where I was required to attend religious ceremonies against my faith, and attending multiple Christmas services against my will was part of that. It was, frankly, a traumatic experience. I think it has taken me this long to "heal" from that (it was 3 years ago, going backwards, when we lived in Newport, RI), and finally I can approach the holidays without quite so much bitterness. And I found it was a time I just wanted to say hello, and send warm greetings, just short notes to let folks know I was thinking about them. I've written over 60 so far, and because they're holiday cards (New Year's can last well into January!), I'm continuing to write them, and enjoying the process.

Happy mailing, and happy endings to 2015!

Best Hanukkah card EVER

The fabulous PostMuse made my day, and made my Hanukkah, with this: the best Hanukkah card ever. I can't find a direct link to the card, but it is from Alternate Histories. You may have read my On holiday cards page, so you may know I'm not big into holiday foo-fa-la, and I get especially grinch-like at the misconception that Hanukkah is as big a deal for Jews as Christmas is for Christians. It's actually a very minor holiday. But lighting candles is fun (I love candles), and PostMuse got it spot-on with this wonderful card!



We're enjoying "kittens' first Hanukkah" in our household. Oberon has a healthy fear of candles, but Stella exhibits a morbid (and slightly masochistic) fascination with the flames. On the first night, she ended up extinguishing the candle by pawing it. After we wiped her paw down with a cool cloth, she was right back at the Menorah for more action. Fortunately, last night she slept through the candle lighting. Wish us luck with Stella and fire safety throughout the rest of Hanukkah and the future.

Happy Hanukkah, everyone! Chag sameach to all who celebrate the holiday.

'Tis the season

Oh my goodness, I have been a bad blogger and have not posted in far too long! Now it's time to post my seasonal reminder, for new blog readers who may not have been exposed to my little "bah humbug" quirks.

While I would not, in general, try to dissuade anyone from sending me good wishes in postal form, I do not celebrate Christmas and I do not send holiday cards. It is just not my thing, for a wide variety of reasons.

Want to know more? Read a more in-depth explanation: A word on holiday cards, or, why I don't do Christmas

It's that time of year again...

It's the appropriate time of year to go ahead and direct folks to my oft-viewed "A word on holiday cards, or, why I don't do Christmas" post.

If you're really interested, there's some fairly in-depth dialogue in the comments section.

The short bit: don't send me a Christmas card, please.

The long bit: read why.

It's time for that Passover/Easter reminder again...

It's that time again!

Because my casual blog readers may not remember, or may not have paid close attention to my repeated references to the pervasiveness of Christian holidays and how so many folks just assume everyone celebrates them (and yes, this is a link to a Christmas post, but the sentiments remain the same for Easter):

I'm Jewish.

Not only do I not celebrate Christmas, I don't celebrate Easter, either. That is generally a Jewish kinda thing, although everyone makes their own decisions about how to handle these mainstreamed holidays.

Please, don't wish me Happy Easter. It will only just kinda piss me off.

If you want to wish me Happy Spring, rock on! I welcome the vernal beauty and floral awakenings of the season. Happy Spring to you, too - may your realm be showing more greenery and less chill than mine right now.

It's April and I'm not Foolin',
Your Jewish letter blogger

Another no-mail Monday coming

Due to New Year's Day falling on a Sunday, the U.S. Postal Service will observe the holiday on January 2, 2012. So mail your stuff today, folks, because we won't have pickup or delivery again until Tuesday.

On the bright side, that means Tuesday will likely be a good mail day!

'Tis nearly the season...

It's the appropriate time of year to go ahead and direct folks to my oft-viewed "A word on holiday cards, or, why I don't do Christmas" post. (It's in my top 10 most-viewed posts, wow!)

If you're really interested, there's some fairly in-depth dialogue in the comments section.

The short bit: don't send me a Christmas card, please.

The long bit: read why.

New shop section: vintage postage

So y'all probably know I have a lot of stamps. I am rich in vintage postage, both from my Grandpa's old stamp collection as well as my many purchasing ventures. I'm now putting a few for sale in the new vintage postage section of my etsy shop.

Many of you also know I'm Jewish, so I'm not going to use the many Christmas stamps that have come my way in various stamp lots. I've just posted two different listings for holiday/Christmas stamps that people other than myself will probably be a lot more interested in.



This Vintage holiday greetings postage book is in excellent unused condition, with 20 29-cent stamps. Perfect for the current postcard rate! They are glue-backed, so you do need to moisten for the adhesive.



Also, a smaller lot of 6 unused individual Christmas stamps.

I'm on the fence about selling some other stamps. The Christmas ones are the only ones I have that I know I'll never, ever actually use. But I've seen a lot of folks selling vintage unused postage on etsy lately, and it seems to be pretty popular. I'm considering selling some of my other postage that I have a lot of, even some of the letter-writing themed stuff...



...like the stamps pictured on this postcard. What do you think? Would you be interested? Should I sell other vintage stamps? Feedback most appreciated!

A gentle Jewish reminder: no Easter here, please

Because my casual blog readers may not remember, or may not have paid close attention to my repeated references to the pervasiveness of Christian holidays and how so many folks just assume everyone celebrates them (and yes, this is a link to a Christmas post, but the sentiments remain the same for Easter):

I'm Jewish.

Not only do I not celebrate Christmas, I don't celebrate Easter, either. That is generally a Jewish kinda thing, although everyone makes their own decisions about how to handle these mainstreamed holidays.

Please, don't wish me Happy Easter. It will only just kinda piss me off.

If you want to wish me Happy Spring, rock on! I welcome the vernal beauty and floral awakenings of the season. Happy Spring to you, too - may your realm be showing more greenery and less chill than mine right now.

Grant me the right to be curmudgeonly right now? I am missing my kitty really hard. And maybe a little extra testy because of it.

Wishing I could hug Memo right now,
Your Jewish letter blogger

Since there's Christmas crap in the stores already...

'Tis the season: I wasn't enough ahead of the curve last year, so even though it's only mid-October, I'll go ahead and direct folks to my "A word on holiday cards, or, why I don't do Christmas" post.

If you're really interested, there's some fairly in-depth dialogue in the comments section.

Hanukkah stamp

This seems a great moment to talk about this year's Hanukkah stamp from the post office - Hankkah begins at sunset this evening. It startled me to learn how early that is here in Newport right now - 4pm!

Sometimes I find the US postal service's Hanukkah stamps weird or cheesy, but I'm really fond of this one. I've been using it on my mail a lot lately - I like the clean, uniform look of the menorah coupled with the little bits of runny wax on the candles. It's beautiful yet authentic, with classic Hanukkah colors of blue and silver.

If you've read this post, you know I won't be saying much about Christmas, but at the beginning of Hanukkah I will say that I wish all of you the infectious joy that can accompany this season. I dislike all the stress and obligatory consumerism and silly gift-giving that goes on around me, but I do really enjoy the general feeling of attempted kindness and goodwill. If you celebrate a special holiday this month, I hope it's delightful.

To my Jewish readers - Happy Hanukkah!

A word on "holiday" cards, or, why I don't do Christmas

Because I've already gotten a couple of "holiday" cards (can you believe it??!? so early) and one query from a young writer about pen pal Christmas gifts, I feel it's most timely to reiterate this on me blog.

I'm Jewish.

I don't do Christmas.

At all.

In any way, shape or form.

No, we don't have a Hannukkah bush, or any other such substitution. And Hanukkah isn't even a major Jewish holiday, it's just kind of become the Christmas substitute in our modern culture. (My family lights candles on Hanukkah, but we don't believe in the obligatory gift-giving that's been tacked on to the holiday in a Christmas imitation. If you do the Hanukkah-gift routine, more power to you, but it's not my thing.)

I will never tell someone not to send me a card with any good wishes or warm sentiments. If you feel compelled to put my name on your holiday card list, by all means, knock yourself out. But please don't be offended when I don't send a card back. I don't do holiday cards, of any sort. If you write an actual letter with the card, then of course I will respond to the letter. But if you're tight on postage, or making decisions on who does or doesn't get a holiday card from you this year - by all means, cross me off the list!

And please know that anything heavily religious will just kind of creep me out.

Thanks for bearing with me through this pre-emptive rant.

MLK weekend

Here's the happy pile of letters I wrote over the long MLK weekend.