Stop sending Christmas cards

Christmas cards are categorized in my brain with chores. When I was growing up, it seemed that buying, signing, addressing, and mailing these cards was an oenerous task that resulted in a time and productivity black hole. No one liked going through this process and it was even worse when my mom and dad received an unexpected card.

Each year, there was the list of recipients and each year that list would grow with more people my parents never intended on keeping in touch with. Mostly, these list additions happened because someone new sent a card to my parents. When you get a card from someone unexpected you must reciprocate quickly, or else. Or else what? They think you're a Scrooge? You're a Grinch?

The only time my parents would hear from people on this list was around the holidays in the form of that low grade form of communication, "Wishing you a bright and happy holiday. The Jensens." So glad you clarified that with the obligatory greeting card. If you hadn't I would have thought that you were wishing ill of me.  When I was younger we didn't have the internet and it was pretty cutting edge that my dad would print off the address labels instead of hand writing all of the names and addresses. However, now there are so many communication options.

I understand that some people get really into the card tradition. They create personalize cards and include photos and some even send a long a family update. The personal touch on the cards makes it nice and much less sterile. It is nice to get a card that isn't generic. Holiday cards should all be personalized. Make me feel like you mean what is written on the inside of the card instead of making me feel like you've just checked another thing off your chore list.

If you do not care about the recipients, please don't send cards. You are wasting paper, production materials, packaging and more. Worse yet, you are wasting your time and energy!