Old Fashioned Christmas Cards

I have to admit that I stopped sending out hard copy Christmas cards a long time ago. I transitioned to email Christmas cards several years back, then stopped doing that unless someone sent a card or greeting to us. I used to love helping my mother send her cards out. I would sit with her at the dining room table as she wrote the notes and then I was responsible for sealing the envelopes and putting on the stamps. When we moved to the DC area fifteen years ago I sent my college friend all the cards she had sent me over the years when we cleared out the house. It was like a time capsule for her. I don’t send cards any more because we tend to stay in touch so much more regularly on social media. There are those that do still adhere to the Christmas tradition. Today we received three hard copy Christmas cards from friends in Hawaii and Wisconsin. It was pleasant enough to receive them and now I will reply via email and text. That sounds almost impersonal, but worth the reply. Since we have forever stamps that are rarely used these days I’m not even sure what the postage is now. I have to give credit to the traditionalists and really appreciate the nostalgia. I wonder when it will end completely? 

Mailing Christmas Cards

Yes, we could drop the outgoing mail in to the slot in the lobby of our building. Since it’s such a rare occasion we prefer to walk or drive over to the post office. It’s about a block away. As a youngster I used to help my mom with her Christmas cards - sealing the letters and putting on the stamps. As an adult I always sent them to an ever changing list of contacts. But once email came along that was the end of the hard copy Christmas cards. I always keep a box of cards on hand for the usual Christmas gifts for the people we want to thank for their help over the year. Handing over money in an envelope and card is so much nicer. But there are a couple of people left who still use the old system. One of them is a colleague of my husband who sends an update about his personal life rather than the mutual colleagues we both knew. I really hate the generic letters that are written once and sent to everyone without a personal note of some kind. This year I sent a card to my mom’s best friend who was much more than a friend - especially this last year before my mom passed away in February. She doesn’t have email and is in her 80’s, so it’s just the right thing to do to remember her kindness. So this morning before our walk we drove over to the post office. It’s always busy regardless of the season. Then we kept driving over or the park to dump the glass bottles in the recycle bin by the library, then slid our way through the paths in the park that were muddy and icy thanks to the snow this week. We may get a couple more cards this year but the number dwindles. It’s kinda sad, but at least we can still stay in touch in other ways.