Christmas Card Dilemma

This will be the first time in my adult life I will not be mailing out Christmas cards. It is controversial not to do it. As a Christmas card goes a long way in showing you are thinking about someone during the holidays. And in general it brings you good will through the year.

But the cost of stamps have become so high I end up spending a $100 just on stamps to send out Christmas cards.

But you will never hear me complain when I get Christmas cards. I love them. And so when thinking about this dilemma I am in as to whether I should send Christmas cards or not this year, I thought perhaps there was a middle road I could follow. Perhaps I could find a free card service on the internet. That way I could send out free Christmas cards without actually having to shell out the cash for the snail mail. Besides I pay for internet service so isn’t just as appropriate and thoughtful. Of course I know people who do not have internet accounts. I may become one of them shortly. So those people will have to be given a card but they are relatively few in number and I could send them cards for about $5 in total.

The most important thing about sending out Christmas cards is to remember everyone on the list. This is a difficult task to do. But I try to break it down into family, friends, and business associates. And then I compile my lists. I usually go though all my call logs and my emails to make certain I get everyone. If you haven’t emailed me in the last six months don’t expect a card. If you are one of my hub buddies this is your card.

So here is my advice. I will provide you links to free card services for the holidays so you can send out free cards. Some of them you can only use 15 cards and then there are other. If you are a lawyer or a high end serviced based business I would manually send out holiday cards. If you don’t know a person’s religion I send out Season Greetings Cards or Santa in a hammock on the beach in Florida with a personal note. For those without Internet I send cards. I know it is unbelievable people don’t have internet but some don’t.

But for the rest I send Internet Christmas cards because it is not the card that everyone is really looking forward to but knowing that you are thinking of them at the holidays.

One last bit of advice. When you write your Christmas cards do it with a little apple cider with Christmas music playing in the background so you are in the mood. I have gotten some pretty angry Christmas cards. I have taken them in good stride because after all I was sent a Christmas card but it was obvious the person was going through an ordeal and projecting it on to me. Christmas cards should not read like cries for help. They should be about gratitude, love and faith.

Happy Holidays.