2019 “A Bookie’s Family Holiday” – The concept for this card originated with my deep-seated desire to rock a gold Star of David resting upon a chest full of hair (shout out to David Menuck). I came up with the idea of being a Jewish bookie and then we just brainstormed about what his wife and kids would look like. Gigi wanted her character to be punk/goth and I loved the dichotomy that the card might have if she sported pentagram earrings (unfortunately, they didn’t come through in this particular photo) alongside my Star of David. Long story short, I searched for the costume that I had inside my head for a month before time ran out and I had to scramble to find a plan B. I’m a bit disappointed myself, but on the upside, I am now the proud owner of a bitchin’ velour warm-up suit that will show everyone at the gym that I mean business!

Not everyone fully understood the concept at first

It took years before everyone close to the family got behind the initiative. As time went on, however, they started picking their favorites, and even sharing ideas for what they thought might make a great future card. “As our family grew, so grew the ideas about what we could do with the cards and the concept took on a whole new dimension,” Mike said. “We just kept sending them out, year after year, learning along the way that some cards were bigger hits than others, but also that each one contributed to a body of work that has become our family’s holiday tradition.”

“We have a running list of ideas for future cards, but for the past several years we have thought of the idea in September or October of that year. This year, I was driving to work, and just sort of spacing out when the idea for The West Texans just popped in my head and I found myself laughing out loud alone in my car just thinking about it.”

“My wife has always loved the tradition, though sometimes she worries that we won’t be able to keep coming up with ideas,” he added. “The girls have embraced the tradition, especially since they know that we are ‘world famous’ for the cards these days! The holidays are so much fun for a child anyway; this tradition just goes right along with the spirit of the season for them.”

Throughout the years, however, the size of the family’s actual mailing list has remained relatively the same, but that doesn’t mean it’s not growing. “Every once in a while, someone who is a casual acquaintance (like a coworker or a friend of a friend) will ask if they can be on our mailing list and we are always happy to add them. Just the fact that they feel the spirit of the cards and want to share in that feeling every year is an awesome compliment to us.”