The holidays are upon us. I love this time of year because it signals a time of slowing down (after all of the haste of getting the gifts, attending the company and friend parties/happy hours, visiting with relatives, and going out with loved ones to spend some special quality time).
One of the things that I love to do is send out holiday cards.
Since elementary school, this has stuck with me when I wrote out Christmas cards to all of my classmates. Everyone in my class would get a Christmas card. I loved to do it because I wanted everyone in my class to know that I wanted to wish them a happy and joyous holiday.
As I got older, I still wrote out Christmas cards and started to mail them out to people I wanted to “wish well” during the holiday season. I guess it has stuck with me since my family would send cards out as well. I would have my stack, and my father would have his stack (that was his pleasure as well).
Years later, I still send out holiday cards. I say holiday because I am aware that Christmas is not the only holiday celebrated around this time of year. So, while I still send out my cards, I have switched my greeting to be a more general greeting of “Happy Holidays” or a “Merry Everything” so as not to leave out any denomination or for those that do not celebrate anything. I usually alternate what the card says on it every year – last year, my cards said “Merry Everything.”
The year before, my cards said Merry Christmas. I did send that card to everyone, even those who did not celebrate Christmas. I didn’t find that my friends that do not celebrate Christmas were offended by the greeting (unless they just didn’t say anything).
I feel like people genuinely take the message as wanting to wish joyous and happy times to each other and would not take offense in the message, as it is being delivered in “like” or “love” for the family.
I have noticed that there has been a decline in the delivery of these cards. Many people tell me that “they don’t have time” or “it’s too much trouble,” or they “can’t be bothered.” I find that sad. I know we are all super busy with our lives – jobs, kid activities, kids’ sports, family events, dance recitals, tutoring, pets, etc. BUT, I hope that these same people who are busy with “life” can at least send a joyous wish for goodwill to their loved ones – you just don’t realize how much it means to receive that card or receive that happy message. I still send my cards out every year. I may have missed one year because I was very sick, but other than that, I send my cards.
We love getting holiday cards. A few years ago we switched from “Happy Holidays” cards sent before Dec 25th to “New Years Day” cards. It gives us time after Christmas (which we celebrate) to be thoughtful in the process … meaning we are not rushed through “the chore” & can include a short personalized note on each card. I’m a less-stressed momma since we switched to New Years Greetings.
Sending and receiving Christmas cards is one of my favorite things about the season. Just today a coworker said, I feel like with facebook and Instagram what’s the point of the cards anymore? It made me so sad. This post hit home today!
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