Consider this your Card
A few years back, for reasons truly unbloggable, I stopped sending Christmas cards. Personal ones. Ones with the photo of the family and the horrible Christmas “Let’s all catch-up” letter that is the butt of many a comic’s jokes. I just stopped.
There were reasons to be sure, but frankly, it took me about 20 seconds flat to realize that if what you read in the horrid letter was what you knew about me, then it probably meant we weren’t all that close anyway. I’m completely aware of how cold this sounds, and I probably am that cold, heartless person, but I’m the person who like relationships. I like real live relationships with real live humans.
Now, I’m not the best at it (the relationships thing, not the being human thing — lest we misunderstand each other). I try to return calls, but I’m horrible with actually putting a note in the mail (please remember that customs in Snarkville is strict and I’m, well, lazy). I have a friend, who for various reaons has sent me REAL mail — like to send me something she owes me or to loan me knitting needles from 3,000 miles away — she ALWAYS puts it in a little card with handwirtten notes. (I found one of them in the recent office clean-up of ‘06 from FEBRUARY.) It is sweet; but always reminds me that when the tables are turned, I drop said item in an envelope with a post-it at most. Yup, I suck.
I’m also not good with cards. I offer up for evidence my cousin’s graduation card that is still sitting on my counter — despite his ACTUAL visit out here and I still couldn’t get it in his hands. Or the Congrats card I have for someone else sitting on my counter.
This year I looked at the Christmas card section in the store and I thought for about a second, “Maybe I should send a card to my close friends.” Then I shook my head knowing full well that even if I bought them, I’d be lucky if I got them out next Christmas.
So, I got to thinking about it, I have a blog. I have a near daily updating on my life for anyone who reads this. So, I can hold no guilt that I’m not updating near strangers with the basic details of my life! I need only put a little piece of holly in the corner, say something festive like “Merry Christmas” and I could totally be done. Now, I get WHY Al Gore invented the Internet! He hated sending Christmas cards too — or maybe Tipper was sick of licking the stamps, who knows.
To sum up, my dear readers, you are the lucky ones. Because for you I give you my only Christmas Card of 2006. Because everyone knows that my not sending out Christmas cards is bound to tick off someone out there.
December 13th, 2006 at 9:06 am
Perfect card – I love it! I have been contemplating cards this year – actually pulled out the pre-printed ones I bought 6 years ago from a school fundraiser and have never used. They’ve made it from the cabinet to the desk – now if somehow addresses and stamps can just fall on them, I’ll get the dog to carry them out to the mailman and they’ll be done. Or not.
December 14th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
Thank you. I’m touched that you thought of me since I mostly lurk and all.
Now where were you three days ago when I was staring at holiday cards at the Target? *L*