Tarter Source

Time magazine pointed out that Americans posted 2.9 billion holiday cards in 2002. Ten years later, the number was down to 1.4 billion cards in the mail.

Yet a lot of the charities that solicit folks in the mail still send you a few holiday cards. I’ve collected a drawerful over the years. These aren’t your cutting-edge, ruthless humor kind of cards, of course, but picture old-fashioned snow scenes and friendly animals. Kind of nostalgic.

The question becomes: do you send these charming reminders of past holiday scenes out or just let it go? The other decision is what do you do if you get a card from someone you hadn’t expected? Perhaps it depends on when you receive it–if there’s enough time, one thought is to fire back a card of your own.

All of which brings up the memory of those cards that arrive with a lengthy summary of the year’s events, regaling us with exploits of the kids along with a cataloging of a family’s achievements over 12-months period. One would have to agree that kind of communication is no longer really valid in the era of social media where individual meals have become a hallmark event.

Speaking of the devil, even Hallmark Cards, the undisputed leader in the greeting business, has had to take stock these days. With major retailers cutting back on card space, the 112-year-old company has had to do some reorganizing.

Like try something else for the season: such as blanketing the world with soppy, saccharine movies, now the accepted hallmark of the Hallmark Channel.

But back to the cards, themselves, I like the idea of dropping someone a line. You get so few letters anymore where someone has actually signed their name.

So I’m breaking out the puppies, pine forests and poinsettias and heading for the mailbox. Don’t feel compelled to write back if you get one. Of course if you want to, it’s okay, too. I’ll put you on my list.