Two weeks ago, I discussed collecting political Christmas cards in general. Last week, I discussed why I love collecting them. This week, I discuss how to organize your collection. Just a warning…the person who proof read this called me a nerd.
This is how I have mine organized. I separate all of my cards into binders (red for Canadian politicians and blue for US politicians). Each card is placed into it’s own clear PVC free page (with the envelope if I have it, though, the card is in front of the envelope).
I have my Canadian binders organized as follows:
1. Prime Ministers – this includes cards that were sent out before or after their time in the PMs office, ie. I have many of Paul Martin’s Christmas cards, including his time as Minister of Finance. These are sorted in chronological order of their time in office.
2. Political Parties, Provincial Premiers, Governors General, Provincial Lieutenant Governors & Supreme Court Justices – I have these set up with the political parties in the front and then the rest in alphabetical order of the individual of the person regardless of the office, ie. Robert Bourassa (Quebec Premier), John Buchanan (Nova Scotia Premier), Jean Charest (Quebec Premier), Adrienne Clarkson (Canadian Governor General), Bill Davis (Ontario Premier).
3. Non-politicians – This would include embassies, non-governmental agencies, government agencies.
4,5,6. General Political Cards – The rest of the binders are organized in alphabetical order of the politician regardless of the office they hold or where.
My US binders are organized as follows:
1. Presidents – this includes cards from president’s families, ie. Ted Kennedy. It also includes their pre and post presidential cards, ie. Ronald Reagan’s gubernatorial cards.
2. Vice-Presidents, Speakers of the House of Representatives, President Pro-Tem of the Senate & Supreme Court Justices – these are sorted exactly as #2 of my Canadian cards are sorted, ie. Spiro Agnew (Vice-President), Carl Albert (Speaker of the House), Tom Foley (Speaker of the House), Abe Fortas (Supreme Court Justice), Newt Gingrich (Speaker of the House).
3. Political Parties, Cabinet Secretaries – these would be cards that came from anyone that served in a President’s cabinet, including prior elected offices, ie. John Ashcroft’s Senatorial and Gubernatorial cards. They are organized alphabetically instead of by office or the President they served under, ie. ie. Lawrence O’Brien (Postmaster General), Leon Panetta (CIA Director), Robert Patterson (Secretary of War), Dean Rusk (Secretary of State), Fred Scribner (Undersecretary of the Treasury).
4,5,6,7,8. General Political Cards – The rest of the binders are organized in alphabetical order of the politician regardless of the office they hold or where.
As I mentioned last week, it’s always fun to move a card from the latter albums to another album.
How to you have your collection set up? I’d like to know the different ways people have them organized.
To see the Christmas cards that I have available CLICK HERE.