You’ve Got Mail

Checking the mailbox really is more fun in December. It’s so full of Christmasy promise. Photos of friends and family I don’t get to see that often, brown paper packages tied up with string from all my amazon shopping this month…it’s one of my favorite things!

My brother took our Christmas card photo this year. He was shocked to learn I was actually going to print them out, stuff them in envelops, stamp them and send them out via an archaic postal system. Why on earth would I not save time and money and send some sort of e-card? I didn’t have any good explanation for my seasonal madness, other than I like to open my mailbox in December, don’t you?

He’s right though. Years ago, Christmas cards were my only way of staying in contact with my old college roommates, childhood friends and the like. In our 10 and a half years of marriage we’ve moved 7 times and have accumulated many dear friends along the way. Christmas cards were our only lifeline to them. But now with facebook and email, I suppose there are other “free” ways of staying in touch. But somehow, I just can’t let the Christmas card tradition go.

I like adorning my refrigerator with them. I like reading the little newsletters. I like to see how the children have grown. It makes my kitchen feel all cozy and friendly. (I love checking out other people’s refrigerators too.) Let’s face it: no one is going to print out my e-card and lovingly tape it to the fridge.

And I’m not the only one. When I drove through the post office to drop off my old school, hard copy cards yesterday, the lady in front of me actually had to get out of her car and shove her bundle of Christmas cards into the slot, the big navy metal box was so full. I’d never seen that before.

The one danger to all this Christmas card sending in an era of advanced technology is, of course,  the fear that one day, your card and/or newsletter could show up on someone else’s ruthless blog.