Monday, November 7, 2011

re: Christmas Cards


I know it may seem premature to jump straight from Halloween to Christmas discussion here, but Derek and I took some photos for our Christmas cards this week, and I made such a mess of gold glitter all over our living room that it seemed to deserve a mention.

I always loved the tradition of Christmas cards - collecting a mantle full of smiling friends and a yearly update to keep you abreast of what everyone is up to. I always imagined myself to be the kind of person with a meticulously kept mailing list and cards out on December 1st (though I realize that with my track record, that is going to mean starting them in July if I really intend to send them as Christmas cards instead of President's Day cards).

But, with the advent of Facebook and blogging and all other digital means of staying in touch these days, actually mailing a paper card seems a little more based in tradition than necessity. I live in fear that more people are going to start skipping the headache of printing and addressing and mailing and accomplish the same task with the click of an email. Don't do this to me, technology! I've just barely made it to the stage of life where I'm ready to commit to a yearly Christmas card! Can't this be the last thing that stays out of the hands of those digital robots?

What are your thoughts? Yay or nay for good ol' fashioned snail mail Christmas cards?

11 comments:

robin marie said...

i am totally with you. i want the card tradition to continue - but alas, i am married to one big cheapskate who does not believe in using stamps for that purpose. don't hate me if you get an e-card.

bex said...

I know! The practical side of me knows that e-cards make more sense, but i'm going to hold stubbornly to the paper tradition (at least until I realize how much time/money it takes to actually do it)

Alice said...

We're working on our NY's card. Hopefully it'll get out this year. I love Christmas cards too, especially the photo, I hate it when people write 5 pages about each child's accomplishments though...LAME! I always toss those.

Mindy said...

We received many warm wishes last year via email but it was more exciting to receive our snail mail Christmas cards, even if there were only two :(. How about you put me on your list and I'll put you on mine. :D That's one more for the both of us. Email me your address, mindywarren(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll send a reply with mine. :D

michelle said...

love em. Giving cards and receiving them. Please add us to your mailing list!

academic poser said...

I love sending holiday cards. Ecards just aren't the same. To cut the expense a bit I started sending holiday postcards last year to save on postage. Still worth it.

kathryn said...

I officially vote in favor of traditional Christmas/holiday cards. I even save the ones i recieve every year and put them in a photo album. Hmmm. I haven't even started thinking about stuff like that yet. Florida weather is not so conducive to a winter holiday mindset...

Brandy said...

I am traditional at heart and make my Christmas cards every year too. It brings me so much joy to receive and send mail - I hope too that this old holiday tradition doesn't go digital! I won't, if you don't :) Maybe we should start a group of mail lovers.

bex said...

i'm so glad that there are still people on the mail wagon.

i do think it could be fun to go digital if a video of some sort was involved. hmm. personal brainstorm for when the robots win.

Sarah C said...

as much as i love the digital world, i am still analog where it matters most: christmas cards in the mail...and library books. i'm sure that card of yours is going to be darling.

Lisa Long said...

I love printed Christmas cards and will hold on to that tradition as long as the post office is around, even if nobody else does! Your card was simply the best!