Given the ease and convenience of technology, it's possible that e-cards and letters will soon be the default method for reaching out to others for the holidays. Who among us will mourn the soon-to-be-quaint tradition of using the U.S. mail to send out a lo-tech card or letter vs. its digital companion? As a member of the resistance against modern-day technology - with my blog being a notable and highly contradictory exception to that resistance - most people who know me would logically assume I would be among those mourning those lo-tech cards and letters as we continue our inexorable march toward being technologically subsumed.
However, in this instance, logic does not wholly apply. Although I don't necessarily welcome the day that digital cards and letters become the norm, I must begrudgingly admit I'll be relieved when the torturous process of going through my manual address book (!) to try and decide who will receive a card or letter finally comes to an end. Sending a digital version could put an end to my hours of dithering over these simple decisions, something that seems to get more convoluted each year.
When e-cards and letters finally take over, all I'll have to do is construct an e-group of recipients and then add or delete names from that group each year. No more remembering to save the envelope and write down the snail mail address of someone who sends me a lo-tech card so I can reciprocate and not appear rude. No more scratching out an old address and writing a new one in that address book when someone moves. No more over-thinking about what I'll write in the card or add to the form letter to ensure my holiday communication is more personal. With a digital version, few people will expect anything personal; technology, almost by definition, renders most things impersonal.
Are my days of holiday dithering about cards and letters about to end? If so, I'm reasonably sure I'll find something else to dither about each year as this season rolls around.
Good morning, Pat. I hope this finds you and your family doing well. Ahh for the days when technology does more of the work for us .. maybe. I have to admit that my lovely wife takes great pride in sending out Christmas cards each year. She enjoys picking out the different styles - religious or not depending on the recipient - and signing each one herself - from both of us. Technology has assisted somewhat over the past few years as an updated list sits on my computer with address labels at the ready. Thankfully the post office saw fit to switch to self sticking stamps a number of years ago. And some of the envelopes are like that now - although not all. Her trusty address book at her side, pen in hand, and me to affix the stamps and return address labels, the process begins anew each year. And we're usually pretty good at getting them to the post office in time to mail before for Christmas. I am pretty confident this process will remain in effect for some time to come. Sometimes the only issue is 'I wonder why (insert name here) hasn't sent us a card this year?'. The mystery of the season I guess - lol.
ReplyDeleteBe well. Happy Holidays,
Bob
Bob; Thanks for two comments in one day especially since today is Christmas. That "wondering" you refer to in your penultimate sentence above is yet another contributing factor for my dithering. That is, what is the statute of limitations for how many years do I continue to send to someone who doesn't reciprocate? I realize this makes me sound a bit Scrooge-ish, but therein is another part of my yearly dilemma.
DeleteHi Pat. I was just commenting (with delight) to my husband how many "snail mail" cards we have received this year. I have gotten out of the habit but appreciate that others haven't. Perhaps it is to some extent an age thing? Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteInes; Happy holidays to you as well and extra thanks for a comment on Christmas. Glad the "snail mail" you received this year delighted you.
DeleteEven though I promptly recycle most snail mail Christmas cards, I enjoy getting them. I say keep the tradition alive, Ditherer!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous; Well, since you put it that way ...
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