Why I Hand-Sign Every One of Our Christmas Cards

“Mama, what are you doing?”

My toddler stood beside the table, eyes wide, watching me write the same three little words again and again. A mountain of envelopes towered beside me, pens scattered around the table, and my coffee had long gone cold. We send out more than two hundred cards each year, and yet here I am, signing every single one by hand.

I looked down at him, smiled, and said, “I’m writing Christmas cards, baby.” He looked confused. “But… why so many?”

And that’s where the story really begins.

The Heart Behind the Habit

I’ve always believed Christmas cards carry something more than cardstock and pretty designs. They hold presence. They hold intention. They hold a moment of someone saying, I thought of you today.

Some years overflow with joy. Others feel quiet, tender, or heavy. Some seasons are filled with community, and others bring stretches of loneliness. Over time, I realized that if a simple handwritten name could make someone feel seen—even for just a moment—it would be worth every late night and every tired hand.

Because as I sit there signing each card, one lyric plays in my mind:

“So I’m sending you this Christmas card To let you know somebody loves you.”

When I write our names, not printed or pre-filled, I feel like I’m whispering that truth into each envelope.

A Moment to Pause for Each Person

Hand-signing slows me down in the best way. It gives me space to linger on names I haven’t spoken aloud in a while. It makes me pause and pray quietly for families we love. It brings to mind milestones celebrated, losses carried, babies welcomed, marriages strengthened, and homes rebuilt.

It reminds me that all of us are connected, even if the threads are delicate or stretched by time.

“And I’m singing you this little song To let you know you’re not alone.”

People may never notice the ink or the way the letters curve. But I hope they feel the sincerity behind it.

A Faith-Filled Tradition

For me, Christmas is deeply rooted in faith. It is the season when we remember the One who knows every name, every story, and every heart far more intimately than we ever could. And when I sit to sign each card, I often find myself praying:

Lord, let this card reach the person who needs encouragement. Let it remind them they are seen. Let it remind them they are loved. Let it remind them they are never alone.

Scripture tells us:

“Let all that you do be done in love.”

— 1 Corinthians 16:14

And in the simplest way, this tradition has become one of mine. It is a quiet act of love. A small expression of faith. A gentle way to send light outward—one envelope at a time.

“And wherever you are, I hope this Christmas card Finds you, and reminds you You are loved.”

Back to My Toddler

So I knelt down next to him and kissed the top of his head.

“I sign each one because people matter,” I told him. “And this is one way we show them.”

He paused, thought about it, then nodded with all the seriousness only toddlers can muster. “Okay, Mama… can I help?”

And just like that, a new little tradition was born—tiny fingerprints, sideways stickers, and giggles mixed with the ink.

Someday my kids might take over the signing completely. Or maybe they’ll simply grow up understanding the quiet message tucked inside each envelope:

Love is meant to be offered freely. Shared generously. Given without hesitation.

Even if it requires more than two hundred cards and a very tired hand.