I just ordered two Christmas cards to send to family and friends, in addition to the one I sent my sister and brother-in-law.
My sister and her family are the only relatives I have left. My only living uncle blew me off several months ago. I have three cousins. Two of them I don’t know where they are or how to contact them. The third cousin I don’t have anything to do with.
So of the extra two cards, one is for my case manager who I talk to a lot, and the other is for a friend and her boyfriend that I see a lot.
I see my case manager and two friends as family now.
I am also attached to my care team too. I am loosing my pdoc next week and will talk to her for the last time tomorrow. I’m closer to my team than I am with actual family which isn’t healthy I think because the team changes.
I think it’s really beautiful tradition. We still have a bunch of old cards from an aunt that passed away. It’s really nice to have the cards. She was very loving.
I know this sounds a little weird, but last Christmas I sent a card each to the hospital psych ward that I frequent, the city police for always treating me well when they’re taking me to the H, and the nearby fire department that responded when I was delusional last summer and believed that doctors in the walls were trying to kill me. I don’t know if they liked them but I felt good letting them know I was grateful for their services.
It helps that I have a whole box of new Christmas cards that I found at the dump a couple of years ago.