Christmas 1996...

 

By 1996 we noticed that the family had all grown and thought a ten year celebration of the 1985 card was in order, thus beginning an annual cycle of communication every Christmas to our friends. Characteristically of course the card was a year late for the 10 year celebration. Hmm.

By 1996 much had changed and although I drew it how I remembered it, Letty reminded me that she was already taller than her Mum, who needed glasses by now of course. We had moved to Brightlingsea, had two cats (at the window, Sinbad and Magic) and the sailing was getting a lot better - picture on wall now shows girls leading race! Computers had been a big part of our lives in 1985 but by 1996 of course it was all about little portable things and there is one amongst the presents.

In those early Internet days I used to do an annual "advent calendar", adding a new page each breakfast time - it was one of a very few on the web then. I published the card below with a disclaimer about the various family sizes. A reader from somewhere in the world commented:

Dear Sir,

many thanks for your wonderful Xmas calendar. During lunch break I open a link and read a little bit of the very interesting stuff. By profession I am an orientalist philologer and librarian; as a volunteer fireman, too, I took great interest in the chemistry of the Xmas tree, hoping that I shall not be called out again to extinguish a burning one on Xmas eve.

A slight chuckle reading your card with the family drawing: I, too, do not know, which of my daughters is taller now than their mother. Will check it this evening. So have a good time at your breakfast working with the calendar, and my best wishes to you and your family for a merry Xmas and a happy new year.

Yours faithfully

Schaum

last updated, predictably, Wednesday, January 18, 2006