question: Has anyone sent Christmas cards lately? I’ve noticed that I’m getting fewer Christmas cards over the years. Also, I moved last year and some people may not know my new address. Should I stop sending cards or continue to send them? And what about a family newsletter? Would it be bad manners to include a newsletter in a Christmas card?
Curry’s Answer: I love Christmas cards, one year I made Valentine’s cards because I missed Christmas, and I know some people make New Year’s cards, so if you have the time to make a newsletter with cards, I highly recommend giving it a go.
Lily Beth’s Answer: I love holiday cards, but I don’t send them every year like I used to. There are two reasons for this: 1) budget – between postage, photos, ordering cards, etc., they can get expensive when budgets are tight. 2) time – the holidays are so busy it’s hard to find the time to get everyone together, take photos, then design and mail them. I also think social media and email, which make it easy to share photos and life updates online, have contributed to the decline in people sending printed cards in recent years.
But I also love receiving and sending Christmas cards, and even if I don’t do it every year, I still make it a goal. I’ve started saving money by learning how to design my own online (using Adobe Illustrator) and having my cards printed locally, but I know that’s not possible for everyone. I also love informational newsletters that let me know what the people I care about are up to, whether they strike a good balance between real-life content and enough background information. It’s a personal preference, but I have my fans.
Regardless, send cards and stay in touch with your loved ones in a way that’s meaningful to you. It’s okay to date your holiday cards on a different day or choose a medium other than a printed card. Sending a card also increases the likelihood of receiving a gift in return, with the added bonus of sharing your new address.
more:Melba’s Swap Shop: Use Christmas Cards as Placemats
Helen answers: Sending and receiving Christmas cards is still a great way to connect with friends and family. With so much news coming from social media, personalized cards and photo cards are a great way to stay in touch. Sending and receiving holiday cards also spreads seasonal joy and adds to the special time of the year. A short newsletter with family updates is still welcome, too, and sends a written message that we care. Keep writing, and enjoy the season!
Guest Answers: Kirsten Cash, real estate investor and mother of four: I too have noticed that people are sending less Christmas cards. I enjoy receiving cards from people; for me, it’s a way to share the “good news” of the holidays. I have Christian, Jewish, atheist and agnostic friends and family who send me Christmas cards to wish me well, and I am grateful for each and every one of them.
In my house, we have a metal wall hanging that is specially designed to hold cards. We use it to display cards received for various occasions throughout the year. Currently, it is filled with graduation announcements and congratulatory messages. I am happy to be able to treasure the congratulatory messages I receive for a long time. I remember as a child watching my parents sitting at the table in our house writing messages to friends and relatives on family cards, sometimes with a recent family photo. I also enjoyed reading updates from the recipients.
In this age of social media, many people update their loved ones regularly and feel it’s unnecessary to do so again in a holiday card. That’s why most people send cards with photos. As for your new address, I think the responsibility falls on you. When you move, it’s common to let loved ones know your new address. You can do this by calling, texting, emailing, or even mailing a cute announcement. This gives people a chance to update the record. Your loved ones don’t have to chase you down.
It’s up to you whether you continue to send Christmas cards (and we hope you do). Sending Christmas cards should be an act of sharing the joy of the season with others. In today’s world, newsletters feel less necessary than they did before social media, but that’s a personal preference, and there’s no etiquette standard for whether or not to include one in your card. Whatever you do, it should be done out of a genuine desire to share the joy with those you care about, and they should be received with the same joy, no matter how they are sent.
PS: Ross (Kirsten’s husband) said, “Maybe no one will send me cards anymore because I have to take out a loan to buy stamps!” And he’s not wrong!
Since 2009, Callie, Lillie-Beth and Helen have written this Generational Etiquette column, with weekly responses from guests across a range of ages. Fast forward many years and Callie is now over 20, Lillie-Beth over 40 and Helen over 60. If you have any questions about etiquette, please email us at hfsok@aol.com.
