2007 Christmas Card Olympics

The yearly event of sending Christmas cards is a sport unto itself. There's a tremendous amount of work involved -- writing the list, buying the cards, writing them out with personal messages, addressing, stamping, mailing. And... if you make your own missives, you might as well start the process in January of the year before.

How about some recognition for the people who got hand cramps after writing out 200 "Happy Holidays!" message. Or for those who resorted to sticking on three postcard stamps because they ran out of first class postage. Here are some of the best cards from this year:

Best Homemade - Juvenile



This is Trevor's card which he made out of a potato stamp, an eraser and a Sharpie.

Best Homemade - Adult

This card was so well-crafted that it was days before we realized it was homemade. I expect to see this crafter demonstrating her techniques on the Martha Stewart Show any day now.

Most Nostalgic

This card is a photo of the Rutgers Gardens in full bloom. Dave lived there during college one year. I remember doing homework at his kitchen table listening to moustrap after mousetrap snap shut. How is it we have fewer mice here in rural Vermont than at the Gardens, in the middle of New Jersey?

Best Photo

The Best Photo category is a tough one. There are so many adorable children who arrive in the mail every December. Drooling babies, grinning toddlers, toothless middle-graders... and always at least one teenager with his Sunday clothes and a grudging half-smile. But this card screamed just two words... "Help me."

Dave's Pick

Singing frogs -- they couldn't lose!

Tara's Pick

I love the colors and the artwork style. So many holiday cards are electric red and green -- the pastel blues, browns and greens on this card were a refreshing change.

Congratulations to the winners -- see you next year!

.