21 December 2010

Holiday Greeting Cards

Does anyone send holiday greeting cards anymore?  Also known as Christmas cards?  Do you?

I remember when my bff, Lisa, lived with us and between her set of friends and acquaintances and mine we had dozens and dozens of cards.  Not a day would go by in December without a card or several in the mailbox.  I have a box of small, gold colored paper clips that I used to string together and pin up along the wainscoting.  We would hang the cards along this shiny garland.  In the heyday of cards we would have the whole living room swagged with holiday greetings.

This year, I have received five so far.  Five.  Sadly, one of them is from the store where I bought my bike!  It's pretty, though, so I'm keeping it up.  There are too few to string up the paperclip chains so they are sharing the mantel with some other decorations.  There's plenty of room for the five of them!  In the old days, only the photo cards were on the mantel.

In case you were going to ask, yes, I did send out cards.  Not as early as Miss Georgiana, whose card arrived the day after Thanksgiving, but early-ish in the month.  

Is this just a thing of the past?  Are the days of sending cards made of paper through the postal service over?  If so, that's kinda sad.  It's a holdover from the time before email.  It's hard to display an e-card on the mantel.  




8 comments:

8thday said...

We gave up sending cards years ago and make a charitable donation instead. We've done better than 5 received but I'm laughing because the last cards were from my vet and my dentist.

Even though I am part of the problem, I agree with you. It is kinda sad.

Anonymous said...

I love holiday cards, especially with family pictures on them.

I haven't mailed out cards in a few years but I plan to start again next year.

Middle Girl said...

Funny you should ask. I do send cards, though mostly to family (now).
I wanted to make all my cards this year but got started too late. I did decorate the evelopes though. :-)
I'll get an earlier start in 2011, for my (newest) philosophy is: if you're going to go (these days)the extra step to send a card, it should be as fantastic and as personal as possible. :-)

In addition to getting a card (well, not quite yet--but I suspect the rest of the aunts will come though) for a card, I've received (two) from a realtor, one each from an attorney and bank.

KMae said...

I used to send hundreds of holiday picture cards of us, along with a yearly xmas letter. I was so proud of them cause we were a pretty couple, (esp back in those days!), but my Babydoll NEVER liked it, said our life should be private. Then came 9/11 & all our airline pay was cut in half to save the company from bankruptcy. We all had to work overtime just to make the same as before. So no more picturecards or yearly letters. I have gotten about 10 cards & 4 fab picturecards this year.

Jen said...

we do cards and a letter. I know, I know...with no kids or pets, a letter is totally gay. ;)

Anonymous said...

Yeah, it is kinda sad but it's like 8 track tapes and pay phones and drive-in theaters - something of a bygone era.

GrumpyGranny said...

We tend to alternate. This year, we did send out a lot of cards because G was at her magic sewing machine making ornaments and bookmarks. They were great little gifties to send. I still have 3 cards to get off to Australia, so they will get new years' instead of Christmas cards...LOL. I have sent e-cards, too, but I confess I love Christmas cards, both sending and receiving.

GG

Darlene said...

I'm late reading this but, had to add my two cents...which is all I have left after sending out over 40 cards! And no, we didn't get back nearly as many as we sent but, did get back about 18. I have always felt like it was a tradition that should be kept up but, I suspect I am fighting a loosing battle. Send me your address and I'll send you one next year after I ax the other 22 from the list. lol Happy New Year!!