I haven't made a personal post here in quite some time and I maybe shouldn't right now as I'm feeling a tad under the weather, but because it's timely, and I'm not feeling all that great, I should just let it spill, right?
It has to do with Christmas cards. Does anyone else dislike emailed Christmas cards as much as I do? Perhaps my dislike is out of range. I should just appreciate any communique a person sends, right, whether of the paper sort or email?
But I don't. I receive a card via email and I feel offended, not appreciated. Okay, I'm old school, I admit: I like the personal attention you have to give to writing someone's name on an envelope--or even printing out a sheet of address labels, writing your name (a preprinted card will do) and affixing a stamp. We only do this once a year, right? No one sends out Valentines Day cards anymore, or Easter, or Halloween or Thanksgiving. So how much trouble can it be?
Now, if you don't have someone's address and you want them to know they're in your thoughts, that's different. And of course I want everyone to have a great holiday.
But if someone has my address and still sends me an email card, I hit delete. I don't think, how sweet, how nice, how thoughtful. I think: Well, that was easy. I hope they feel good because I feel worse. I don't feel appreciated at all. Rather, I feel minimized.
At this point, I should delete this post because I know I will offend some of my friends and colleagues who send email cards. In advance, I apologize. My sore throat and general lousy feeling made me hit "publish post."
I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this. Am I being too cranky?
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7 comments:
I LOVE IT when you express yourself so open and honestly like this, Barbara! I just knew there was a tigress under that cool exterior. Open up that throat chakra baby, and let it out!
Hope you feel better soon.
Love & hugs,
Theresa
Couldn't agree with you more, Barbara. Thanks for being opinionated and for having the courage to be honest. That's just one of the things I love about you!
I'm with you... E-mail "cards" feel like Spam.
Yes, too cranky! Online correspondence can take as much effort as the mass-produced Christmas letter inserted with a card where "The ___ Family" has been scribbled hastily on the bottom. To me, they are equally impersonal. It's a new, cyber world, and all those cards and envelopes eat up many trees.
I'm gonna assume, then, that if you're against cards that eat up trees, then you don't print out multiple drafts of documents, you don't use paper towels, to-go cups from your favorite cafe, paper plates, or paper napkins, or anything that eats up trees, and to you I say, brava! I still love paper cards, and I save them.
Interesting topic. Just this year I thought I ought to send out emailed greetings instead of cards -- it's the way I communicate most often with folks, and they can read at their leisure, I have more time for a personal note and maybe some links or photos, not clutter up the world with more stuff. I went old-school this year anyway, but I am thinking it is time to give up this expensive, wasteful practice -- I'll happily donate the $50-$75 I spend to some worth cause instead.
Barbara, You are right on! In this increasingly impersonal world Christmas cards are one of the things we receive that should be personal, selected by the sender, and meant for me (or you). I read each one and after New Year's day go through each one again, a nice memory of the holidays. Also, as an aside, Kudos to you for responding immediately (albeit in a form letter)to my request to be considered for your radio show "Writers on Writing". You have no idea how many "respected" interviewers simply ignore such requests, even follow-up requests. I know you have many followers so have no problem with your form response. To reach everyone in a timely manner that is the best way to do it. You also show respect for the people who write to you who are eagerly awaiting a response.
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