Around this time each year, my husband and I write and send several dozen holiday cards. But I wonder whether this practice is going the way of the dodo in these modern times.
A Family Tradition?
My mom used to (and, I think, still does) write Christmas cards to a long list of family members and old friends. When I say “write,” I mean that she hand-wrote a personal note to each recipient about the season, the year’s events, etc. Some of these notes were longer, some shorter, depending on who it was. Point is, she took the time. And it took lots of time.
People sent Mom cards, too, from all over the country. We would tape them up on the walls. By the time Christmas rolled around, the walls were covered in cards, a colorful mosaic of photos and pictures.
Sometime after I graduated from college and was living on my own, I felt like I should send my own Christmas cards. So I did. Some friends sent me cards back, and others never did. It was clear that some of my friends came from the same tradition that I grew up with.
I have noticed that it’s usually the woman of the household who writes the Christmas cards. My husband writes quite a few cards himself, but I think he’s an exception to the rule.
Christmas Cards Today
I so enjoy getting Christmas cards in the mail. For one thing, it’s rare nowadays to receive anything in your mailbox other than bills and junk mail. And I do tape them up on the walls to look at throughout the season. I enjoy seeing pictures of friends' children, too, especially the ones who don't post pictures of their kids on Facebook.
I haven’t seen a trend toward e-cards for the holidays, and I hope I never do. Festive? Ugh, I think not. They just can’t compare to a real paper card that you can hold and open with your hands.
Kids These Days…
Many people under 30 don’t even have e-mail accounts—they think e-mail is for old people. With all their phones and devices, it’s hard to imagine them sitting down to write a grocery list, much less a Christmas card.
What do you think? Will holiday-card writing ultimately go the way of the dinosaur? Do you write holiday cards? Do you get as many cards back as you send out? What trends have you seen?
From Jen's Mom: Yes, I still write all those personal notes, and I never receive as many cards as I send. But the ones I receive, with their notes and photos of kids and grandkids, make it absolutely worth it. I'll be doing it as long as I can hold a pen. :)
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