In a Facebook/Instagram World, Are Christmas Cards Even Necessary Anymore???
Before I get angry emails and no Christmas cards, let me make this disclaimer: I am genuinely asking the question more than I am giving an answer.
Tis the season for scheduling the family photo shoot, painstakingly designing the perfect Christmas card, addressing envelopes and racing to the post office, all to wish our loved ones a Merry Christmas.
I love getting Christmas cards in the mail. It is truly the only time of year I look forward to the walk to the mailbox, and I actually find something inside besides bills or American Express offers. So I hate to even bring this up for fear the last hold-outs will change their minds.
I’ve never really sent Christmas cards before – well, maybe back in the day I did, before social media kept me in touch with all my high school and college friends, back when I’d write out a little note because that was the only time of year we’d actually stay in touch.
But times have changed since then. Now, the only kinds of Christmas cards I receive are the family photo Christmas cards. So far this year, I have received one real Christmas card – one that was an actual card, with an actual hand-written greeting inside. The rest were all the pre-printed family photo Christmas card greeting.
Well, now that we have our little guys, I’ve been wondering about jumping on the Christmas card bandwagon. It has made me wonder why we even send them, and if I should even bother at all.
So, why do we send Christmas cards?
Weren’t Christmas cards supposed to be a personal greeting to friends and family, especially those we haven’t kept in touch with all year? At most, there was the typically-TMI-Christmas letter; at least, there was a handwritten greeting and signature. Somewhere in between was a personal note.
Today, many of the cards I receive have printed-out labels, and the cards themselves are family pictures with some kind of seasonal greeting on it. No note. Not usually even signed.
Now, I’m not criticizing anyone who does this. In their (your?) defense, in our social media world, we are a lot more connected than we were a few decades ago when that hand-written Christmas card served a purpose and was maybe the only thread attaching people over the years. Now, I’d say that most of our present circles of relationships are connected by some kind of social media and therefore, are pretty up-to-date with family pictures, the latest events life events- all the thing we might have included in a Christmas card.
That being said, so what purpose do most of our present-day Christmas cards have other than sending people pictures of our kids? Seriously. I’m asking.
For argument’s sake, let’s say I didn’t feel emotionally ready to sacrifice this sacred Christmas-card-cow, and I still wanted to be a part of this tradition. Let’s talk practical details of my sentimental attachment.
First, there’s cost. I don’t think my boys have sat still once since they started walking, so therefore, I have not taken one quality picture of them in the past 9 months. So, if I wanted to get a picture worth sending, we would have to hire a photographer. So, there’s that. Then, there’s the money to get them printed. Then, money for stamps. (Not to mention, who even makes the cuts for the card list? What is the criteria for that?) For those of you who do this, I’m curious. How much does it cost you to send out Christmas cards?
If I felt it was worth it, I might justify the cost. Well, would it be worth it?
To answer that, I need to first ask: what do all of you do with the Christmas cards people send you? Be honest, now. We save and display the ones we receive for the Christmas season. But then, after that? Into the garbage they go. To everyone who sends us cards, I’m sorry. Truly sorry. But does anyone keep them after the holiday season? Please tell me I’m not alone here!
So, do I want to spend x amount of dollars for something that would end up in the trash a few weeks from now?
Then, there’s the stress of creating the card – the perfect picture, the perfect layout, the perfect card. Making sure you get all this done amid the craziness of the holiday season to ensure it doesn’t arrive December 26. I honestly feel like it stresses most people out. And for what? Think of the endgame. Thirty days from now (maybe 35 if you are on your game and send them out the day after Thanksgiving), you know where those cards you slaved over will end up.
So, if I’m not going to write a personal note, if most people are up to date on our life events and kid pictures due to Facebook and Instagram, is there a purpose in sending Christmas cards out besides tradition? Couldn’t I just achieve the same effect by creating a card on Pic Monkey, posting on Facebook and wishing everyone a Merry Christmas? That’s so impersonal, you say. But really, what is so personal about the other option these days?
Now, true, there might be those in my life who aren’t on social media, who I haven’t spoken to, where a Christmas card might serve a purpose. But do I want to go through all of that hassle for just a few? Can’t I just write out a Christmas card to them and have a few pictures printed up?
I tend to be a traditionalist, and I really hate the idea of giving up a tradition like Christmas cards. I hate the idea that our world is so different now and that a ‘social-media-Christmas-greeting’ might really be the way to go. I’m looking for someone to convince me otherwise.
If there’s something personal written on those pre-printed-family-picture-Christmas-cards, then I might say, “Yes, that’s worth it. Send those out.” But from my own experience, that is just not the way I see Christmas cards being done these days.
So, help me out. If you send out the family picture card, what are your reasons for doing so? Convince me it’s worth the bother! If you receive those cards, how do you feel about them? Love them? Think they are a waste? What do you do with them after? What do you think about this whole tradition of Christmas cards – keep it? Time for it to go? Just do social media Christmas greetings?
I have to say, if everyone thought like me and I stopped getting Christmas cards, I’d be a little sad. But in the big picture, it’s not going to make or break my Christmas season. Things change, but Christmas will still go on.
The way I see it, it’s only worth it if it’s a meaningful gesture, not a ritual. Nobody likes to be on the receiving end of a ritual.
And to be honest, there is already enough of a fight these days to remember the true meaning of Christmas. About God giving His Son as a Gift to us. About celebrating the birth of One Who would save us. About being with family and friends – really being with them (not just doing things for them). About quiet and reflection and worship. About Jesus.
I feel like I need to measure Christmas cards against that backdrop, too. If Christmas cards help serve that purpose or are an expression of that, great. If it takes away from that, then maybe we need to rethink it all together. Maybe it’s not worth it.
Paradoxically, this season seems to give us more than enough to stress about. Anything that adds to that should definitely be reconsidered. Sacred cow traditions, included.
So, in the spirit of truly celebrating the season, consider this my Merry Christmas.
Oh, wow, I would never want to let a Christmas go by without sending out Christmas cards! We are old-fashioned at our house, and we still keep to the old traditions. I personally write out every, single Christmas card (some years, if my husband has time, he will help me do a few), and I make sure to say something very personalized to each person. We usually do a family Christmas letter, just to let everyone know how things are going in our lives. This year, we didn’t, as there has just been so much going on, I didn’t get to sit down and type it. I absolutely LOVE getting those Christmas letters, in return, too. We do not do facebook…you asked for opinions, so I am being honest. 🙂 I hate facebook. I hate what it has done to our world. How impersonal it has made things. (I just wrote a post called, “Not So Social, Social Media”, and I explained my feelings on this.) We just don’t do it, and we are living our lives the way we did back before all of this came on the scene. We don’t care if everyone thinks we’re weird! LOL! It gives us peace of mind and peace in our home. That means the world to my family and me. Just because everyone else is changing does not mean we have to conform. Thank God for that. So, back to your question, we still rejoice in every, single Christmas card that comes in our mailbox, and I wouldn’t trade this sweet, heartwarming tradition for anything. It isn’t that expensive…you can go into your local Christian bookstore after Christmas and buy beautiful Christmas cards that are drastically reduced and hold them until the next year. The cost of stamps is SO worth it to me. We are very frugal in our home, but there are just some things that mean more than saving a few dollars. Sending Christmas cards is, and always will be, one of them.
I love that this is still meaningful to you, and I think that is what it should be, if someone is going to do it! And a card like you described is one I would love to get! I still love getting the picture cards and I do appreciate the thoughtfulness of every card I get. I just am weighing that if I can’t do it sincerely and meaningfully, then should I do it? I love that you are true to the old traditions, and if that is what brings you joy and peace in this season, then that is the perfect reason for keeping those traditions! I’m sure you make the people on your card list feel very special! Merry Christmas!
I wish I had time to even think all these thoughts. Impressed you made some to do it. I don’t do cards. The LP likes to save, I’m a discarder. So we save for a few years. Then I purge. Don’t tell the LP.
Merry Christmas!
Good for you! I can’t deal with the clutter. I have a box for special cards I keep – but those are the ones that have something thoughtful written in them! Merry Christmas to you, too! 🙂
We quit years ago. It just seems like excess when we can all keep up with each other digitally.
I agree. It feels redundant to me to me also! Thanks for chiming in!
In the last few years a couple of people I know have publicly donated to charity instead of cards (through social media). I love it – the money goes straight to a good cause and no rubbish:recycling 🙂
That’s a great alternative! Love it!
I am so glad you wrote this & said what I think most of us have been wondering! I can’t believe more people haven’t weighed in & commented on this topic!?! I’ve been doing photo cards, but have tried to make something about them point to our Savior’s coming as the real point of it all. One year (or two?) I had the full Christmas story scripture passage (up to the angels’ “Glory to God…good will toward men”) printed on the back so people could have it handy on their fridge or wherever. But this year I chose a design that didn’t have room for anything like that based on the professional photos I hired our new neighbor to do…and I’ve really felt yucky about it bc of all the things you are saying. It is honestly more, “ look at our great photos and nice card and how we accomplished getting these sent out” more than “yay for Jesus and we love you.” But it is also just that last thread of “you are special enough to us that we took the time to send you this sort of expensive actual object with photos of us in the mail so you can have one from us & I wrote your address by hand.” I’ve sent out 50-70 cards & spent between $25 & $80 on just cards & envelopes with either iphone photos we took/had family/friends take/a nice stranger took (& nailed!) of us while on a special outing, professional photos if we really wanted some with our daughter bc we hadn’t had any in awhile & had time & could stand spending $100-250. and one year with simple cheesey photo booth pics (not sure you can even get them that way anymore) that I scanned, printed duplicates of and attached in store-bought cards that seemed to go with the “theme”. I enjoy getting them from everyone too bc they are fun to ooh & aah over & display, especially when it’s people we aren’t as in touch with. I don’t do fb. Hubs does. I do IG but most on our list don’t do IG & severaI don’t do either. I’ve kept all we’ve received with pics/personal touch for the 10 years we’ve been married in a bin (the numbers have steeply declined, sadly), but Brooke ‘Nesting with Grace’ shared a great idea to do a single hole punch in them and use those hinged metal rings to group by year and lay out on a coffee table! I’m so glad to know I’m not alone in feeling like they are somewhat redundant & unrelated to the true meaning of Christmas without a more personal touch. You have inspired me to have a blank space for hand writing at least a simple “Love you! Merry Christmas!” and our signatures (esp now that daughter can legibly sign) on the back in the future! So there you go a happy medium, lol! Thanks & MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Thank you for weighing in, Mel! I still love getting them, but I can’t get myself to pull the trigger to spend so much money on something I know most people will throw out! And most of who I’d send to are on FB anyway so they see family pics all the time! So, I feel like a hypocrite! lol But, it is nice that people think of us to send them! I love the idea of the photo ring. I really should be more thoughtful to do something nice with the cards people spent so much money to send! Thank you SO much for sharing your thoughts here! I LOVE hearing them! 🙂
I literally found your post because I’m (for the first time) not wanting to spend all the time and money to send a card with pics on it people have all seen on social media. 90% of the people I send to know everything that is going on in my life anyway. UGH I love the tradition but I am fried! I’m trying to find some unique approach but I cant! I’m also not trying to be a Scrooge, but it’s difficult. Thank you for helping me feel comforted I”m not the only one!
You are totally validated, girl!!! Im a little hypocritical b/c I love getting them, but I never send them for the same reasons! Enjoy your Christmas YOUR way, Lindsey! 🙂 Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂