Design Crafters

It was an unorthodox but undeniably effective way to catch a thief: send him a Christmas card and leave the rest up to his conscience.

While it might sound like something out of a television sitcom, it really happened. The Brighton (U.K.) police tracked down a former postman who was accused of helping himself to cash and gift vouchers out of mail that he was to deliver, and sent him a Christmas card offering the chance to surrender to local authorities. The former postman, who had moved across the country and again to Scotland by that time, claimed to have never received court summons for the alleged thefts prior to the Christmas card, and was unaware that he was still wanted in connection to the crimes. Since the alleged thefts that took place in 2002, the former postman had married and become a father, begun a new career as a chef, and was in poor health in recent years.

Following receipt of the Christmas card (which suggested he contact the Brighton police to clear up the matter), the former postman did in fact surrender to authorities and, in the end, admitted to the postal thefts. The judge presiding over the matter found it quite extraordinary that the Christmas card was the means by which the accused postman was tracked down, and in the end handed down a suspended sentence of a 12-month prison term.

Do you find sending out your Christmas cards to be a chore? You’re not alone if you do – many folks find that the whole process of selecting the cards, writing the notes, addressing the envelopes, and stamping the cards to be a significant and somewhat overwhelming chore during the already jam-packed holidays.

If you are one such person, then be glad you’re not Father Naus in Michigan. He’s a college professor who sends just under 3,000 Christmas cards each year to former students, colleagues, friends, and even acquaintances. He believes strongly in the importance of letting people know they’re in your thoughts, as well as a Christmas card’s significance in a friendship. It might take up a great deal of his time during the holidays, but the odds are good that each and every one of the recipients of Father Naus’ Christmas cards are honored and happy to receive them in the mail. As a result of that, he’s happy to invest the time and effort in sending out nearly 3,000 Christmas cards each year.

The next time you groan at the thought of all the work that goes into sending your Christmas cards, remember Father Naus. Not only that, but remember how happy receiving a Christmas card from a friend or family makes you and, in turn, how happy receiving your Christmas card will make your family and friends. Giving someone happiness, no matter how large or small, is well worth the time and effort.