I thought I'd start a thread for the Christmas Card Exchange a little early this year, for you to tuck in the back of your mind. I stepped up to organize it last year, and I'd be happy to do so again. If you're interested in exchanging Lighthouse Christmas cards with other CF members, please email me your mailing name and snail mail address. I will limit the list to the first interested 25 participants and routinely bring this post up to current. Last date to submit your address to me will be November 30, 2006, with cards getting mailed by December 14 for within the United States and by Deceber 5 for internationals. Please feel free to ask any questions. This was a blast last year and I look forward to another great season of holiday lighthouses from all of my CF friends!

Count me in again this year, Jen. I think my grandson enjoys the lighthouse Christmas cards almost as much as I do.

Thanks for taking on the project once more. My info has been emailed to you.

Judy

Sounds like fun! Could you explain exactly how it work please, Jen?

I'll do it again! Ooh, Photoshop time!

Debbie - the exchange works much like our postcard exchanges. Each participant is in charge of purchasing or creating Christmas cards for each of the other participants in the exchange and mailing them. The other participants, in turn, mail you cards. Everyone sends everyone a card, until everyone has sent 24 (or whatever the number is) and everyone has recieved 24 (minus their own card).

It's a lot of fun to see what everyone sends out. There's always some unique cards and messages. It's always my way of "getting into the holiday spirit!"

Debbie, Greg did a great job of explaining it. Not too hard - basically, a lighthouse Christmas card exchange.

Thanks for the great expaination, Greg! That's how I thought it worked, but wanted to be sure. Count me in too! I love Christmas and cards and I think it will be fun to see the different cards received.

Thanks for taking this on again, Jen! This is so much fun; I have already been making plans for mine, so count me in again!

I'd like to participate, if the total number doesn't exceed 18. If if does I'll just drop out. Thanks Jen.

Jen, please include me in the Christmas Card exchange again this year. I enjoyed it last year! My info is on its way.

Hi Jen,
Count Al and myself in as well. We always enjoy the cards we receive from fellow lighthouse enthusiasts. Thanks for getting the ball rolling.
Darlene

Jen, please include us in the Christmas Card Exchange. We'll e-mail our info.

I've got Tom and Joyce as participants #9. Thank you to those that have emailed your addresses. Toward the end of November, I will compile the address list and send everyone an email copy pre-formatted for labels, so all you will have to do is stick a sheet in your printer and then stick them on your envelopes.

Count me in.

Sounds fun, count me in.

I'd be interested in that...I will send you my info via e-mail. That sounds like a really cool idea!

BB

Hi Jen,

I would like to do this also. I haven't done it before and it sounds like so much fun.

I'll e-mail ny info.

Sounds like a great idea and a chance to recieve cards from other than friends on the east coast. Count me in Jenifer if there is still room.

Bob (Taylor), I think you are number 14. Actually, I wish the exchange would expand to include more members. It is so much fun - maybe we could go to 35 if there is enough interest.

Grace has a great idea. I'd go for that!

Judy

I'm for the consensus - if majority wants it more than 25, we can certainly do so! Bob, I was on the 2004 WILD cruise - I was also there this year to see the boat off, although I didn't actually undertake the trip due to finances. Grace has the current tally correct at 14.

Put me down for 2006. Thanks for handling the details Jenifer.

I'm interested in participating again.

Dear Jen,

the Christmas Card Exchange 2005 was great, so please count me in for 2006 too. If there are also LightSHIP-Christmas-Cards available in the States, I would be very happy, if you think of me ;-)

Lightshipfan

Hi Jen,
Count me in again this year.Really enjoyed this exchange last year.
JoAnn

Count me in, too. I always enjoy this exchange.

Jen, Please count me in!

I have already purchused my cards in anticiptaion of this exchange happening again this year. Looking farward to it again!!!

Ok, at this point I'll have to drop out as I don't have enough cards. Carry on and enjoy!

Anyone have any ideas as to where to find some great Christmas Cards with Lighthouses or Lightships on them?
Asbury Press and Leaning Tree come to mind...any others?

BB

I'm at a current count of 19 with Sue (Mombo) declining. Bob, a lot of us make our own with lighthouse photos we have taken. You can do something like that very inexpensively by taking a digital file to Wal-Mart and selecting their wide variety of Christmas templates with one of your lighthouse photos, and many online photo sites like Snapfish also do them.

I'll join if there's still time.
thanks,
Bob

Bob makes #20!

Count me in at #21 please.

Guys, this is so much fun! It is great when those cards start coming in. I set up a special wall last year and want to pick a bigger one this year - can't do it if more people don't sign up. It's not just the giving and receiving - it's great fun to pick out just the right card. Some of the more creative people come up with wonderful stuff and those who buy them ready made pick just the right ones. So it is really great fun. Please participate!

Grace,
I would not mind participating. What does one have to do to join in? Please explain.
Thanks
HCS

BeaconBob, Lighthouse Depot always has lighthouse Christmas cards. I received a catalog from The Water's Edge (Red Farm Studio) with at least 9 different lighthouse holiday cards. They are priced a little higher than what I've seen in other catalogs. www.NauticalHolidayCards.com

I will probably make my own again this year.

Jen,

We would like to join in if there is still available space. I think we would be 23 or 24 if I counted right.

Thanks for setting things up.

Carolyn

I picked up some cards on my trip so I can participate if there is still room.

Doc makes #24. I need snail mail addresses emailed to me for those of you who have recently signed up. HCS, read up above for more details. It's basically a Christmas card exchange with everyone who has signed up on this year's list and you mail a lighthouse Christmas card to the list members. That's it!

Jen,
When do you expect to send the list out? I hope more people get involved...this sounds like a GREAT idea!

I will be sending the list out with everyone's snail mail address on December 1. It will be a Microsoft Word document preformatted for address labels 30 to a page (3 across, 10 down).

We are currently at 24 participants. Do you guys want to leave it open for more? Or I can close it with 24? I'll go with majority, but it sounds like some of you want more participants...

Jen, I think it's time to close it. 24 is a good number and it's been open for over a month. We've lost one person because it grew to greater than they had cards purchsed.

This will give those now signed up plenty of time to locate their cards or to be creative in making their own.

Can we add addresses for optional cards to Bill & Nancy Younger, John Gaskill, The Harbour Lights office? Any others?

I'd love to see more participants. This is just October 31. Can we give it some more time?

Judy

How about we say 30 is the limit or November 15, whichever comes first? How many did we have last year?

I like John's suggestion of 30 max participants or 11/15. Last year we had 19 plus the cards for the Youngers and John Gaskill, making it 21 overall. There was a lot of people last year who missed it and wanted in this year.

Sounds like a plan! Sounds good.

Judy

Hey,

If it isnt too late, please count me in ... Thanks!

I'm a newbie here gang and I need some help ...I know who Bill and Nancy are...is John Gaskill the new owner?
Was that another rookie question? Sorry! :rolleyes:

I like the 30 participants or 11/15 plan as well...

BB

John Gaskill is the son of the last keeper at Bodie Island Light on the Outer Banks. He's retired Navy and spends summers at Bodie helping to explain what life was like living at the lighthouse and winters at a Navy home in Washington DC area. He was formerly at the Naval Home in Biloxi, but was evacuated before Katrina.

Need more input on the max 30 participants or 11/15 deadline from the rest of you - it was suggested to me that we close it out at Barry's signup with 25, which was my original number. Tell me what you guys think.

Max 30 participants or 11/15 sounds good to me.

30 participants to include, Bill/Nancy, John and Harbour Lights office or 11/15 whichever comes first works for me.

I like Mel's idea - so adding those three in, we're at 28. There is room for two more participants.

I'd say to close it out at 30 including the comps. That way, it's easier to buy cards in packs of 6 or 10, common sizes. It's kind pf a pain to have to buy another pack of cards for one person...

Just MHO...

Can someone close us out and start part 2 since we're over 50 posts? Thanks!

Just let it run on, Jen. About to a natural end anyways. At 75 posts it will roll to a second page. When you actually start the exchange you can start with a clean sheet...

No problem, Dave, wanted to stay within the post limits. Thanks!!

I agree with Greg. 30 is an easy number to buy for.

30 or 11/15 is fine with me

30 and 11/15 sound like well rounded numbers to me too.

Jen are we still at 28 as of now?

We are still at 28.

I want in. I cant believe I did not see this post before.
Fran

Fran, you're in. Sorry I haven't had a chance to reply to your email. Will send you a note this weekend. I also have Inga Klaus in at #30, so we are full, folks! I think this is the largest number of participants we've had yet. I can't wait!

Don't worry I know you are busy.

Ok, 2006 Lighthouse Christmas Card participants! The list is just about done. As soon as I get the addresses I need, I will send an email out with everyone's address. I still need addresses from:

1. Doc John
2. Roy & Carolyn
3. Sunshine (forgive me! I probably have it, but need a refresher! )
4. Inga

Thanks! This is going to be one FUN swap!

This will be my first time. Will you let us know just what we have to do?

Kay, as soon as I have the remaining addresses, I will send out a detailed email to all the participants with everyone's address and instructions. We have a lot of new participants this year and I can't wait to see all the lighthouse Christmas cards!

I need an address for Roy and Carolyn. Can anyone help? I haven't heard back - they are the only one I'm waiting on. Thanks!

Thanks to those of you that emailed me Carolyn and Roy's address. Email coming shortly with the completed address list. We have 29 participants - I haven't heard back from Inga. She may get added in. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks!

HIP HIP Hurray!!!

Can't wait! Mine will be in the mail sometime before the weekend!

Thanks Jenifer!
Everyone, please add my wife Kathy's name to my mailing label. I don't want my wife to start seeing all this Christmas card mail coming just for me and find its from these women that she never met...she might get suspicious! LOL!!!

Women that you've only met on the INTERNET
Bob! lol
I didn't realize how many women were on this list?? Luckily both MaryAnn and I have met most of these lovely ladies in person. LOL

Bob

I dont remeber how many stamps you need for Germany. Anyone want to let me know.
Thanks

Try this USPS tool. Plug and play...though do you need to get special airmail stamps for Germany? Not sure...

http://ircalc.usps.gov/

Cards up to one ounce in weight for Germany are 84 cents - if your card is over one ounce but not more than two ounces, then it jumps to $1.70.

OK, so I couln't wait till the weekend

Assembled my cards last night and mailed them this morning. Everybody gets the same card and I even added a few names of my own that are not on the list. Watch your mailbox Dave!