Cards Received

I can no longer keep track of how many cards I send out every year.  I know in December it was over 80.  Then add in Birthday, Anniversary and other holiday cards throughout the year and I'm sure it's well over 200.  I love to get cards too.  Despite how many I send out, it seems we never get even half that number in return.  The picture above is all the cards we got in December.  There are 39 of them.  Not quite half of what we sent of our Winter cards.  I love how they look all together and how they looked taped up around the windows of our dining room.   It makes the room so cheery. 

I'm also amazed at how often we get through a holiday season without receiving a single duplicate card!  How often do you get the same card from different people?  I remember it happening more often in the past than it does know.  For our wedding (15+ years ago), I remember getting a couple pairs of duplicate cards as my bridal showers and at least 2 of the same card at our wedding.  I've saved pairs of birthday cards (often given in different years) of the same card from each of my grandparents (Hollie Hobby playing a violin - I still have it somewhere).

I love the uniquely handmade cards.  We don't get too many of those - maybe 2 or 3 a year but only 1 this year in December.  Though I could do without the glitter cards.  I'm sure I'll find glitter in my house well into the year.  I wish there was a better way to keep glitter on cards without it ever flaking off - then I'd consider using it myself.

I love photo cards.  It's need to put together multiple years worth of photo cards from the same family and see how everyone has changed over the years.  I always save these.  Along with the letters some people send in their cards.  It's neat to go back and see what happened when (useful for genealogy research too!).

Plus the trends to do more 3-D style effects in cards.  I try not to do too many of them when I make my cards since I know the postal service uses machines to sort and I wouldn't want a pretty 3-D effect flattened.  I'm always amazed when they arrive in tact and not flattened.

What are your favorites?  What do you like about the cards your receive or give?  Is it more about pizzazz for you or do you like personalization more?