Christmas Card Controversy

There is a minor controversy brewing, along with the morning coffee, at the Tucker house. It’s over the issue of Christmas cards. Mr. Tucker wants to send them out. I do not.

You see, I think that the sending of Christmas cards needs to go the way of the dinosaur. It’s not that I don’t love the cards (actually, I have what I call a “paper fetish,” and I love stationery and cards of all kinds). It’s just that I can’t see the practical purpose.

I asked my Sweet Spousal Unit to whom he wanted to send these holiday greetings. He responded with names of some local friends. “But, you see them every month,” says I. He shrugged.

I think he feels guilty getting cards from them and not reciprocating. Guilt is a powerful motivator isn’t it?

So, I tried to tell him what I think about those cards. First of all, sending out Christmas cards is a pretty darned expensive endeavor. I don’t know about you, but I could easily list 50 people who should be recipients of those cards. We’ve got his family, my family, his friends, my friends, our friends, his work colleagues, my work colleagues, and the cat sitter. OK, maybe I could drop the cat sitter from the list (but she will send me one — and if I suck up to her, maybe she will give me a discount).

I looked at the Christmas cards on display at the Kroger store. I could buy a package of 16 ugly cards for about $6.00. But, then how would I feel when I go to my brother’s house and see my cheap, crappy card on display next to the beautiful, sparkly cards his friends sent him?

No, I’d have to spring for the more expensive cards. They would cost $10.00 for a package of 12. I’d need 5 packages (that’s $54 and some change after sales tax). I have to put postage stamps on fifty of those, which is going to cost another $21.00. Then, I have to buy eggnog and liquor to fortify myself for an evening of addressing envelopes! See how expensive that is?

Then what happens to those cards? Maybe they are displayed on the mantel for a few weeks before they get tossed in the recycle bin. A tree has given its life for the sake of my guilt. That just seems like a waste.

Especially since most of the people on my list are people with whom I communicate regularly. It’s true that some of the folks on the list only hear from me at Christmas. They get a card that says, “Hope your holidays are jolly.” That’s about all I can muster to put on a card after a quart of eggnog.

Wouldn’t it be much better to call those people (it would cost absolutely nothing on my cell phone)? Or maybe I could write them a letter in the middle of July without benefit of eggnog? Surely, if they are worthy of any communication from me, they deserve better than my illegible holiday greetings.

Now, I realize that if everybody in America stopped sending holiday cards it would create an economic crisis (and Lord knows we don’t want one of those). The folks at Hallmark and at the post office would maybe even lose their jobs. So, y’all go ahead and send out those cards, if you must.

If I was on your list, please feel free to erase my name, because you aren’t getting a card from me. However, if Mr. Tucker was on your list, you’d probably better send one on to him. Otherwise, he is going to make you feel guilty. I’m not going to change his mind.

I’ll let him send out his cards. While he addresses them, I’ll sit back and sip eggnog and give him moral support.

Other posts you might enjoy:

1. “Pink Floyd Meets A White Christmas”
2. Old Christmas
3. A “Wicked Good” Eggnog Recipe
4. Valentine’s Day and Resisting the Urge to Splurge
5. Organizing The Christmas Clutter

Tagged as: holidays, rant