It’s always fun to check the mail in December – and to find a Christmas card or two waiting.  They are typically sent by friends made along the way or by family that has moved to distant places.  For a few moments we enjoy the memories of the past as well as appreciate the fact that someone thought of us.  (Sometimes we even make a mental promise to send our own cards next year!)  Occasionally letters are included that give updates on the family; more popular nowadays is the custom-printed card displaying several family pictures.  We linger over the cards, then set them on the mantel or hang them on the fridge – you can’t just throw them away!

For some soldiers in WWII Christmas cards were especially meaningful, but we’re not talking about traditional greeting cards. We’re talking about playing cards. They were included in Christmas care packages delivered by the Red Cross to prisoners of war in Germany. POWs were typically bored, and cards helped pass the time.

These cards, however, were not traditional playing cards. Allied Intelligence had partnered with the United States Playing Card Company to create a special deck. When the cards were run under water, the outer layers of the card could be pealed away revealing a section of a map. When all the cards were laid side by side, the soldiers would be looking at an escape map. The maps led to hundreds of escape attempts, the most successful of which led to the liberation of thirty-two POWs held at Colditz Castle.

Only two of the decks are known to remain in existence today. They can be seen at the Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. You can, however, purchase commemorative Escape Map Playing Cards from Bicycle – and since the map is already printed on the cards there’s no need to submerge them in water.

When I came across this story I was struck by the ingenuity and the opportunism of the Allied Intelligence. I was also reminded of Paul’s instruction in Ephesians 5:16 to “make the most of every opportunity.” That got me thinking about how we might also make the most of our Christmas.

Christmas seems to be a time of year when people are more open – and where reaching out seems more normal and appropriate.  It’s a great time to buy a gift for a co-worker or make some cookies for a neighbor.  It’s also a great time to offer an invitation to a Christmas play or a Christmas Eve service.  It even provides some opportunities for spiritual conversations.  Christmas offers so many possibilities for us to be a little more open about our faith.  What opportunities do you have that you can you take advantage of?