Q & A with the Queen of Cards

The Queen of Cards also happens to be my mother and she has remained loyal to pen and paper long before I came into the picture and she won’t be stopping any time soon.

For as long as I can remember, every holiday season has meant our dining room table transforms into a full blown card writing factory. From late-October through mid-December we’ll eat dinner alongside Christmas card sets, stacks of envelopes, address books, black and blue pens, and stamp sheets of every type. This has always been, and will always be sacred ground for her. This is her house of cards and in my eyes, she is the queen.

Her letter-writing legacy is one I’d like to share and carry on, so here are a couple of questions and answers that will hopefully inspire the letter writer in all of us. 

How long have you been writing letters? 
Hmmm...around 40 years? 

What’s your earliest memory when it comes to cards and letters? 
My aunt was known for sending handmade cards to everyone in the family around Christmas and Easter. But I remember her card would always be the first to arrive at our house every year and it officially marked the start of the holidays, I loved it.

On average, how many Christmas cards do you send out every year? 
Anywhere between 80 and 100

Christmas card lists

Who do you still write to? 
There’s so many people! Family, friends, and coworkers from years ago. I’ve even stayed in touch with some passengers I had helped at the airport once. They were an older French couple, Pierre and Nicole. 

When did you really begin to write and send cards regularly? 
I had turned 18 while doing a summer program in France and made lots of interesting friends from all over and I wanted to stay in touch with them. It was crazy expensive to phone call, so that’s what you would do, you had to letter-write. There wasn’t any of this texting or Facebook you know...

Study abroad in France, Summer of 1978

Do you have a favorite pen-pal from over the years? 
Oh yes! Madame Gallet from Dijon. In 1980, I had spent another summer studying in France and the university arranged a Sunday lunch for the international students with different host families. I was set up with Madame Gallet and she was so sweet with me! I had only met her and her husband that one afternoon but we wrote to each other every year; Always at Christmas and sometimes throughout the rest of the year. The second time I ever saw her was with you and your sister 30 years later! You don’t remember? She cooked stuffed peppers for us and a homemade tarte. And her husband kept bringing in cheese and champagne. 

Sunday Lunch reunion with Madame Gallet. Dijon, France 2010

What’s your preference when it comes to pens? 
I prefer a fine-point pen. I also like a Sharpie, the thin ones.

What do you like more? Sending letters or receiving them? 
Receiving them is really nice. But you’ve got to send them if you want to receive them! So I guess both. 

Where is the most interesting place you’ve received a postcard from? 
From Ushuaia, Argentina 

What have you found the most challenging about keeping up with letter writing over the years?
Life’s day to day distractions and the fact that it’s easier to send a text or an email. People just aren’t able to spare the extra time, myself included sometimes. But on the flip side, that now makes a handwritten note even more meaningful.

Do you have any rituals when it comes to card writing? 
I prefer writing late at night when everyone has gone to sleep because that way I don’t have any interruptions and it’s quiet. I actually find it pretty meditative. I feel like I’m in my zone. I like taking time to stop everything I’m doing and focus on what I want to tell someone. It’s a special time you have to reflect and reminisce. 

How do you usually sign off?
Usually, I’ll write:
“Love,
    D---”

Whether it’s a card to send holiday greetings or a letter to a friend just because, making an effort to write a note for someone else will always go a long way. It’s more than just a message on paper, it’s your thoughts taking the scenic route to meet someone else at the other end. I think we’d all pick a handwritten letter (even if it’s a bit harder to read) over a text message on a backlit screen. Who knows, you might have Sunday lunch in France 30 years later because of it!