Why do we send Christmas cards?
I’m not entirely sure of the answer but I know this long-standing tradition gives me sufficient feelings of guilt every year, at some point between now and Dec. 26.
My late mom was very traditional and very prompt when it came to card giving. She had a list of who to send cards to and usually sent them out by early December. My dad is the same. He always sends out a card to us well before Christmas.
I grew up in a family that sent and received cards every year. It was a great part of our Christmas. We had a little red box that we hung up on the wall. It had a spot to put in the cards we had received and it also had a little, cardboard wheel that could be turned each day to count down how many days were left to Christmas.
I also seem to recall my mother sometimes putting a string across a room and hanging cards off that.
I loved collecting all these cards we received each year and counting how many came in.
So, while there’s no real intrinsic value to Christmas card sending and receiving, it’s always been an important part of Christmas for me. That’s why I always get down each year when I fail to get the cards off in time.
My wife and I have always meant well — we have lots of blank Christmas cards in stock, as well as a little organizer to keep track of the Christmas cards we send out each year. But the problem is my wife and I put the “pro” in procrastination and, inevitably, at least over the past few years, procrastination eventually turns into not-gonna-get-done-ination.
It’s amazing how quick December goes and by the time Christmas is upon us, I have the cards out, the pen nearby but the ink is still inside the pen.
Like many other traditions, it feels like the Christmas card exchange is a dying custom in our society. It seems like fewer people send traditional cards each year. There are also electronic cards that can be sent via the Internet that are cheaper and make life easier, which reduces the amount of regular cards.
But I like real cards.
This is one Christmas tradition I hope people do their best to keep up. Even if it feels superficial and most of the time people just sign their names at the bottom of generic cards, the fact the effort is made to even send them out in the first place is what’s important.
Now, if I could just back up my support of this tradition by signing some cards and licking some stamps. Well, maybe I can just consider this column as my card to family and friends for this year — at least it’s a start. Next year, I’ll start in November. Really. I promise.
Jason Small can be reached at 691-1255.
