Holiday Card Projects

Greeting cards are part of the holiday season. We make lists of who should get a card, but without fail you will receive a card from a person you did not expect to. Oh the shame.

But what if you made or bought holiday cards to inspire somebody going through a really tough time, somebody who needs a bright spot in their day? Heidi at deviantART has started the Holiday Card Project for just this purpose.

From the website (click here) "In past years, the Project has received more than 5,000 cards sent in by more than 1,000 deviants from 50 different countries/political regions. Cards were then divvied up and distributed in-person by deviantART members to local Los Angeles, CA hospitals, with additional cards given to various hospitals in the U.S. and abroad for hospital staff members to hand out to patients."

"The purpose of the Holiday Card Project is to have deviants create physical holiday cards for people who are hospitalized during the holiday season — helping to bring a little cheer to those who are undergoing a hospital stay."

You can hand make a card or two, or purchase them, write an encouraging note (share your favorite inspirational poem or quote etc.) to that hospitalized stranger, and send it to:
deviantART, Inc.
Holiday Card Project
7095 Hollywood Blvd., #788
Hollywood, CA 90028
U.S.A.
 
They take care of distributing to hospitals.  One quality, heartfelt card is better than several lacking feeling - so quality over quantity please.  This could be a great family activity to get the kids involved with.  Remember, you will place your cards and envelopes inside a mailer.  You can easily remain anonymous by leaving the return address on the card envelope blank.   Deadline is December 15 for them to receive the cards so they can distribute them.

As a bonus, you will receive one month of premium deviantART membership, so sign up for free and include a note with your username along with any cards you send them.  It is an amazing site with quality artwork touching on a wide range of tastes.

If you would like to remember our hospitalized or deployed military men and women, the Red Cross has a Holiday Mail for Heros drive (click here for details.)  Each year the Red Cross collects cards between October and early December and then distributes them at military installations, veterans hospitals, and in other locations.  Holiday Mail for Heroes, P.O. Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456.  The deadline for having cards to the P.O. Box is Friday, December 7th.

In addition to sending cards on your own, you may want to host card signing parties or card making parties.

I think this is a great way to keep the idea of giving from our hearts alive in the holiday hype.  Better than getting stressed over the commercial aspect.  I scrapbook and have been getting into card making - so I am making at least one for each of these groups to send in.  I am looking forward to it.   

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Just a reminder note to please submit your mystery/suspense book blog reviews or author interviews for the Blog Carnival.  Last month there weren't enough submissions, so we did not have a carnival.  

Please submit links to recent articles (within the last 3 months) to keep the information fresh.  Submit at this link:

(http://blogcarnival.com/bc/submit_8796.html)