Handwritten Christmas cards are a bit of a lost art, but not for Mary Lou Grathwohl.
The Niles resident of 58 years has been writing Christmas cards since 1955, each including a poem.
Now, Grathwohl has released a collection of the 56 years of Christmas poems in her new book “Holiday Hugs.”
She will be signing copies of her book, which will be available for purchase, Dec. 3 at Majerek’s Readers World.
“Holiday Hugs” is Grathwohl’s third published collection of poems.
Her previous books were “Here and There,” compiled in honor of her late husband and “Mother Sez,” a collection about her four sons.
Grathwohl said the Christmas poetry collection was requested by her sons.
The poems deal with everything from holiday memories to family happenings  to the meaning of Christmas.
They reflect the emotions of the birth of children, dealing with a son diagnosed with leukemia around Christmastime to the little memories that make the holidays special.
“One Christmas, we had an exchange student from Germany,” Grathwohl said.
“So we put candles on the Christmas tree and let me tell you, we didn’t go far from it.”
Grathwohl has been writing poetry throughout her life, mainly to preserve memories.
“I hope this (book) will bring up holiday memories for other people and encourage them to write them down,” she said.

Mary Lou Grathwohl, author of a collection of poems titled “Holiday Hugs,” shared one of them.

‘DEAR LORD‘

We Thank you for these many years
Most with laughter and some with tears.
We Thank you for our friends so dear
And a special thanks for our family that’s here.

Yes, Lord, life is truly a potpourri
Filled with challenges for everybody
But when you separate the good from the bad
It makes the good worthwhile to be had.

We pray as we sachet ahead
Your guidance on our lives you’ll shed.
May happiness and joy fill everyone’s heart
And from this we never do depart.