Here's my problem: I love Christmas cards. I love the motivation for a new family picture. I love the brief connection it provides with people I've lost touch with throughout the year. I love receiving them, and I love sending them. One of the things I've always loved most is how each card expresses the personality of that individual or family - the aunt who makes her crew take Santa hats on summer vacation so she can use the picture on the card, the neighbor who still sends a traditional card because that's the way she's always done it, the cousin who sends the card "from the dog" on the family's behalf.
But there's the first piece of The Dilemma:
Issue #1: They aren't individual anymore. Sure, some of them have rounded corners and others are square. Some have 3 photos and some have one. Of course, there are different smiling faces on each one. But it's like everyone went to the same online vendor (you know which one I'm talking about), and while their designs are beautiful, there's only so many of them. Divide that by millions of people and the point of a personalized photo card isn't so personal.
Issue #2: It's become a competition. We all know, I'm a competitive person. I'll compete over who gets to the car first in the morning. David and I race down the stairs on the way to the worship center every Sunday, much to the confusion of church members walking nonchalantly nearby. (And don't tell him, but sometimes I plan my shoes based on which ones I can win in without breaking an ankle. Before you think I'm ridiculous you should know he's been known to throw elbows.) But anyway...I digress. Christmas card competition is just stupid. I'm sorry to be blunt but it is. The point is to reach out to people you love, and it's become a contest to see who can one-up the next person. Whose card cost more, which photos are the best, whose is the most "creative," who is so on top of things to get their cards mailed first. I received a Christmas card in November. I wanted to send a note back that said, "Congratulations. You won. You're the first card. I see you worked all summer to ensure victory, and it paid off well." (Or it didn't pay off at all. It's a card.)
Issue #3: It's some kind of right of passage. I don't like Valentines Day because I feel that it only serves to depress half the population. I'm sadly beginning to put Christmas cards in the same lot. I literally heard someone say once that if you don't have cute kids, you should stick to a traditional non-photo card. Singles, couples without kids and empty-nestersa are apparently not allowed to play the game. Imagine her elation when the single girl gets married and excitedly plans her Christmas card only to learn that the rules stipulate she's still not quite good enough. Gag.
Isssue #4: It's going to end up in the trash, or at best, the bottom of someone's Christmas decoration box. I know there are people who save cards. A friend in Virginia posted a picture the other day of how she keeps cards and pulling them out each year reminds her fondly of those they love near and far. I want to send a card just so she'll know how much I love her sweet family. But the other 199 people I send cards to are likely not as sentimental.
Issue #5: There's nothing new to share. Remember how the crazy aunt used to write a full-page year in review to send with the card? It was single-spaced in Times New Roman 11 point font and even then almost went to 2 pages. Poor Aunt So-and-So has nothing to say that hasn't been on Facebook for months. We've learned to overlook her card like we overlook the details of people's lives.
Issue #6: It's so freaking expensive! The family photos cost money, the coordinating outfits in the family photos cost money, the cards cost money, the shipping costs money, the stamps cost money. Because it's a competition, you then have to factor in the add-ons. The card stock is free, but the heavy-weight pearl card stock is extra. The standard corners are free, but everyone does that, so you've got to pay a little more for the rounded corners. The envelopes are free but not the colored insert or lining. Once you've paid for the card and envelope to be so fabulous, you have to do labels or pre-printed return addresses. Or you've got to buy a personalized stamp or embosser. You've got to!
So there's my dilemma. Do I send Christmas cards because I love them or do I not because what I love about them is not what they are anymore? Do I send an Easter card like some friends of mine so all that hard work and money isn't just added into the pile of others? Do I send a card but only to a few people?
I'll post my solution tomorrow...
What do you think? What are you doing?
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