Happy New Year

Home Alone (but together) best describes what we will be doing on New Year's Eve. And, we may watch that holiday classic and the follow-up.

Christmas Eve was celebrated at home with an invite to a fellow resident and the 25th we were comfortably settled in our cozies as we watched all three films in the Santa Clause trilogy (a must-see for Grenville) and later enjoyed a dinner-for-two. 

The end of 2025 was celebrated with an informal get together of fellow neighbors at our apartment yesterday sharing friendship, wine and snacks. Leftovers will be enjoyed today and tomorrow as will watching the Call the Midwife 2025 holiday special (streaming on PBS).

This past year has been a good one overall with family milestones (wedding and high school graduation) coupled with our travels to places near and far, Alaska and Portugal. 

Our Christmas cards to family and friends reflected these events. Yes, we got all dressed up and acted silly as well at the wedding. This was the first year, for creating holiday greeting cards; it will be continued in future years. I also sent traditional printed cards. Every card also includes a handwritten greeting.

We are thankful to have received cards from family and friends, including several blogger friends. All of which are on display on the back of our apartment door and also on the hall closet doors. It's enjoyable to look at them daily — at least for another couple of weeks. They will stay up until mid-January. 

The holiday card tradition began in England. In 1843 Sir Henry Cole commissioned artist John Callcott Horsley to create a card with the message A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to You. The idea gained popularity in the U.S. when a Boston printer Louis Prang mass-produced them in 1875 and has since been dubbed as the father of the American Christmas Card. 

For myself sending cards with photos and personalized notes is special, especially at the holidays (despite rising postage and text messages). It's a tradition, I enjoy and will continue.

Christmas greetings displayed in our apt

There's a wide variety of images and greetings

Growing up holiday cards sent to my parents and family were never displayed, perhaps this wasn't unusual years ago. Ever since I've had my own home, they've always been on display.

This display has its special place in our apt home as all these Santa cards are the creations of fellow blogger, Linda (Linda's Life Journal). The most recent Santa is on the bottom far right. Another Santa is framed and included with our Nativity. We look forward to Linda's card each year and are thankful to be on her list.

Another special display features these snowman cards painted by our artist friend, neighbor and my Scrabble playing friend, Solange, who passed away earlier this year. We miss her and she is a part of our holiday.

As always, there were similarities in cards received this year. There were far more with birds. Cardinals are traditionally linked to Christmas due to their vibrant red color, which matches seasonal holiday decor and symbolizes love and hope and doves connect to Christmas through Christian symbolism. But, I'm not certain about the holiday connection of other birds.

Followed by those with religious themes in keeping with the meaning of the season.

Some cards bore wishes for a Merry Christmas or a generic Season's Greetings with or without a winter scene. 

Of course, there were several with penguins as friends know our preferences; but there was only one with a trio of caroling frogs in beachwear.

A few cards featured cats and dogs.

There were cards with themes of peace, one had a lighthouse and several with poinsettias. I learned that poinsettias are known as the Christmas Eve flower through a legend about a poor Mexican girl, Pepita, who had no gifts for baby Jesus so gathered weeds which miraculously transformed into vibrant red flowers at the church altar. 

This final card display is of the cards that Patrick and myself exchange with one another. As you can see, we have a long-standing tradition of not just doing one card for any occasion.

Aside from the good things we've experienced in 2025, there have also been the deaths of several friends, all within a 3-month timespan in late fall, one we met on our October travels. We know that many others have suffered the loss of a family member, spouse, friend or pet and our condolences to them.

There are many fellow bloggers who have been dealing with serious health issues either their own or a loved one — or both. We hope that the New Year will be a better one for them

So at this year end, we thank everyone who has read and/or commented on our blog posts and for sharing your lives online, the joys, sorrows and everything in between. We appreciate and are grateful to you — Dorothy & Patrick (aka Beatrice & Grenville)

Happy & Healthy New Year to All

Cherish the time with those you love and who love you.

We'll be back in 2026 with more adventures.