1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to send cards now? Why wait till Christmas? 4 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: In this time of social distancing, we're not able to 5 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: interact in person as we usually are, so plenty of 6 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: families and friends have found new ways of connecting. My 7 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: brothers and their families and my parents and I, for instance, 8 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: to a giant zoom call from time to time. Today's 9 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: tip is to add one more mode of connection to 10 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: the mix. Holiday cards. Well, more like not holiday cards, 11 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,279 Speaker 1: as the case may be, but with the same sentiment 12 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: in mind. Lots of people send holiday cards to family 13 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: and friends every December. This is a great way to 14 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: maintain relationships, especially with people we don't get to see 15 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: all the time. I love photos of far flung friends 16 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: and relations doubt in holiday gear. But December is a 17 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: long way away, so why not reach out to the 18 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: people you love now. If you send holiday cards, you 19 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: probably have a spreadsheet or address book with all the 20 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 1: recipient's addresses, or if you've recently gotten married or hosted 21 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: a big party, maybe you have the address list you 22 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: used for invitations. You can use these lists to inspire 23 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: your outreach to people you care about but can't see 24 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:30,479 Speaker 1: right now, here's how you do it. Every day, pluck 25 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: a few people off your holiday card or invitation list 26 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: and send a card or note. Any stationary cards or 27 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 1: paper will do. Use the freebees you get from nonprofits. Heck, 28 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: you could even repurpose the photos and envelopes from your 29 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: actual holiday card. If you have kids in your home 30 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: or neighborhood, you can enlist them to decorate cards, or 31 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: if you're crafty, you could have fun creating the cards yourself. 32 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: Inside the cards, you can write something simple like thinking 33 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: of you or sending love from our house to yours. 34 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: Of course, longer notes are always welcome, but the main 35 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: idea is just to let these people know you're thinking 36 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: of them and care about them. You don't have to 37 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: be systematic with your letter writing, no need to start 38 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: with the a's and work your way down to the zs. 39 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: There's no set number of cards per day you need 40 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: to send, and it's okay if you write to some 41 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 1: people on your list and don't get to others at all. 42 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: Just let the list inspire you to reach out. Sending 43 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: a few cards can spread a lot of joy. Receiving 44 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 1: a card can be a real pick me up, and 45 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 1: writing to people we care about feels good too. If 46 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: you send non holiday cards, I hope you'll tell me 47 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: about your experience and about other ways you're staying connected 48 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: to family and friends. You can reach me at Before 49 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 1: Breakfast podcast at iHeart Media dot com. In the meantime, 50 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 51 00:02:53,800 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: the most of our time. M Hey everybody, I'd love 52 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: to hear from you. You can send me your tips, 53 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, 54 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod that's b E 55 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: the number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can 56 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at 57 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: i heeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled 58 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look 59 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 60 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, 61 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 62 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.