Three years ago I contemplated giving up the tradition of writing my annual Christmas letter. Then I had second thoughts. That summer my desk had collected postcards from a cousin relaxing in the Swiss Alps, a friend cruising the shores of Alaska, and my sister luxuriating in a country house in France.

In November when I sat at my desk, thinking about writing the Christmas letter, I kept glancing from one vacation postcard to the other. Usually it's easy for me to write a dialogue of the year's highlights and toss in some humor.

As I pondered the blank paper, I closed my eyes. A series of flashbacks, all having to do with caulking, painting, and grout cleaning, filled my head. My husband and I had spent months preparing our home before we put it up for sale. Not even the prettiest holiday stationery could make home detailing a fun read.

Maybe this was the year to break with tradition. I could find holiday cards, buy a red gel pen and sign them, and add a seal to the envelope. But that didn't seem adequate. Christmas to me is a special reason to stay in touch with friends and family.

Even more, I really like putting my thoughts on paper. I remember my letter-writing campaign to a girlfriend when she was agonizing through cancer treatments. Afterward she told me that one of her weekly comforts was reading my old-fashioned handwritten letters.

As I was ready to postpone my writing, I recalled an August afternoon when I took a break from the hassles of house repair. A group of cowboy poets were reading in the park. I settled under the canopy of a cottonwood tree, and as each poet talked of country sentiments and stories of a simpler life, I listened—really listened.

That was my inspiration. I created a Christmas poem about settling into the Southwest, tucking in a few family details at the end. The next year I focused even less on what we had done, but instead reflected on the season's spirit through a heartwarming nature story.

This year, I wrote a poem entitled First Snow. I continue with my updated tradition, filling mailboxes with love, some news, and an original holiday story.

Connie Johnson
Prescott Valley, Ariz.

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