THE JOY OF OLD-FASHIONED HOLIDAY CARDS

Several years ago sending “electronic cards” was all the rage. And, in fact, email has pretty much replaced physical mail (aka “snail-mail”). But three things have somewhat reversed this trend with regards to personal correspondence. One, some pretty nasty viruses can be hidden in e-cards, and two, people are bombarded with them, to the point that many people don’t bother opening them.

The third, and most important, is that people nowadays miss personal interaction, especially during the holidays. Receiving a card with a handwritten note is such a joy because it’s so rare to get personal mail. Many people report a dwindling number of friends, and have less close confidants than they had 20 years ago. A reflection on how isolating our society has become.

While it may not always be practical to write a note on your holiday cards, the sentiment is definitely felt – as is the card; felt, re-read and displayed. In our house, we put out a large tray and fill it with cards, as a coffee table centerpiece. Other family members love to look through them and read what old family friends are up to, and see photos that are sometimes enclosed.

For those of you who still like the electronic style of greeting cards, I suggest you look into the online interactive movies. These are audio and video templates where you insert your family’s photos. However, I also suggest that you do not send them via email. Rather, play them on your computer for everyone to see at the same time, as these are pretty funny, and everyone loves seeing themselves animated. “JibJab” has some good ones and for a $1 per month fee you can create as many as you want.