25 years strong: College friends keep bond alive by annually exchanging same Christmas card

A friendship formed in college has lasted 25 years through an annual exchange of one Christmas card.

Longmont resident Janice Clark and her friend, Stephanie Wieland, who lives in Iowa, met at the University of Northern Iowa in the 1990s through a mutual friend. There the two did what most college students do — hung out with friends, played silly games, laughed a bunch and studied too, Wieland said. 

“Over the years they (college friends) become like family because you are away from home for the first time,” Wieland said.  

As college graduation approached Wieland wanted to stay in touch with Clark and proposed sending the same Christmas card back and forth each year. That year, 1996, Wieland went to the store and chose a card with a cat on it “because Janice likes cats,” she said.

“I thought it was a good, fun idea,” Clark said. “I had never heard of it before and it sounded fun and like a tradition to keep on going.” 

Wieland then began the tradition by being the first to send the card to Clark. Every year, the friend who holds the card signs her name and the year and mails the card to the other. This year marked the 25th year of the holiday tradition and it was Clark’s turn to receive the card.

One of the most difficult things about the tradition is finding a special place to store the card for the year. Both women said they always feel like they will be the one who forgets to send the card or lose it. Weiland stores it in her jewelry box, while Clark keeps it in a drawer with other important documents for safekeeping. 

“It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I just make sure that I put the card somewhere where I’ll be able to find it the following year. Sometimes there is a little bit of a panic, ‘(gasps) Where did it go?’ but then I find it and make sure to get it sent off,” Clark said. 

Clark has moved houses a few times over the years but has always managed to find the card among the moving boxes.

Beyond the card exchange the women have stayed in touch in other ways. Clark was one of the maids of honor at Wieland’s wedding. They have visited each other on occasion, too. They also keep in touch through email, letters and Facebook. 

“We’ve been around each other for marriages and divorce and me having kids … We’ve just kind of kept in touch. It has been a nice support and long time friendship and those really matter to me,” Weiland said.  

“Stephanie is such a good friend and it just means a lot that you can have someone who knows so much history about you and what’s going on in your life and someone you can talk to about things and know exactly where they are coming from as well and know their history. It’s like everytime we talk it’s just like it was just yesterday that we were talking even if it has been several months. It’s truly a good, fun relationship and I treasure it immensely,” Clark said.  

Weiland hopes if something happens to her that her children will continue the tradition or adopt it for friends they make in their lives.   

“It’s more about keeping in touch with friends and not forgetting to keep in touch. It really means a lot to both of us to do this and it’s a whole lot of fun,” Clark said.