The Curious Case of Jeriel's Christmas Card

Growing up I always loved spending Christmas night at my grandmother's house. She made Christmas time a grand affair. All of her friends would send her Christmas cards and she would display them on her China cabinet. Every year we loved looking at each of them, but my favorite was from her out of town friend Jeriel. Jeriel always sent a Christmas card with a letter in it reviewing her year. Jeriel was very detailed. That is my nice way of saying Jeriel put wayyyy too much information about her and her family in the letter. She described surgeries and other things no one wanted to hear about. It was so bizarre that it became an annual Christmas tradition that I would read the card aloud to my cousins, who loved this just as much as me.


Grandmother passed away almost 3 years ago at Christmas time. She knew her time was ending and was so upset to be leaving us at Christmas. And so was I. Christmas, tradition, and Grandmother all went hand in hand. I worried Christmas would never be the same without her.


Fast forward two years later and we had moved into her house. I was hosting all of my family for Christmas and was bound and determined to recreate Grandmother's perfect Christmas traditions. I made her famous gingerbread men, wreath cookies, and nut nugget. I decorated the entire house and even made her fruit ice ring for our fruit punch. Everything was in place and ready!


And then the greatest most bizarre thing ever happened.


I went to check my mail and there was a Christmas card from Jeriel, letter and all. It was addressed to my grandmother and sent to my house. My first thought was pure joy because my Christmas celebration could once again consist of a letter from Jeriel. My second thought was oh my gosh she has either lost her mind of doesn't know Grandmother passed away. I thought about writing her a letter explaining that Grandmother was gone, but that I was living in her house now. Eventually I just decided to let it go in case she was off her rocker.


If you are looking for me in the entire month of December, I will be checking my mailbox constantly in hopes of receiving another letter from Jeriel. Fingers crossed! I will be sure to keep you all posted.