The invention of social media
Cut the distribution of Christmas cards
Nearly in half
I certainly understand the arguments
Not sending cards saves time
Not sending cards saves money
Not sending cards saves trees
And, of course, with ten minutes
(If that)
Of typing and a click of a button
Your Christmas sentiments are shared with all
BUT
I couldn't imagine a Christmas without the cards
They are a channel enabling you
To give yourself to loved ones
And a device to bring your friends and family
Into your house for the holidays
They arrive as the month of December progresses
Congregating in your abode
Constructing a Yuletide mosaic
A cocktail party of sentiments
And you are likewise attending the party
Of everyone on your Christmas card list
When I was a child I watched the cards accumulate
As my mother taped them around the wall and overhang edges
Between the living and dining rooms
I learned very quickly that when space for the cards became scarce
Christmas had to be near
I remember buying my first box of cards
My freshman year of college
(A purchase that declared I had twenty friends
who were special enough to receive one)
And I recall the thrill that came from choosing who qualified
And then personalizing each one
Now cards are a shared labor with Victoria
We are spurred on by our creative friends
Some who are better at Photoshop than others
I still feel the need to personalize each one, though
So they take up a good chunk of a day
And bring to mind all those reasons not to send them
If only for a fleeting moment
NOW
I read recently that over the past three years
The numbers of people sending Christmas cards
Is rising
The initial upswing predated the pandemic
Which suggests to me
That it doesn't take a catastrophic event
For us to recognize
That we're looking to attend as many Christmas parties as possible
Both as host and guest
