Christmas cards spear to be a fading tradition of Christmas.  Christmas cards began gaining popularity in the later part of the 19th century.  The custom of that time among more affluent families was to leave ‘calling cards’ when visiting someone’s house.  This lead to Christmas themed cards which eventually lead to the Christmas cards we are familiar with today.

I remember growing up we would tape the Christmas cards that we received around the inside of the front door and by Christmas there would be  cards taped all up and down both sides of the door.  Even after I was an adult and out on my own sending and receiving Christmas cards was a vital part of the Holiday season.  The daily trip to the mail box included a little excitement as you wondered who you might hear from today.  The arrival of a card would bring to mind friends and relatives that perhaps had not been heard from since the prior Christmas.  It was even better if the card included a picture or a letter.  I have one cousin who would could always manage to make her letter rhyme.  

It does not take a statistician to see that the number of Christmas Cards being mailed is on the decline.  We have received and mailed oly a handful of cards this year.  The obvious cause is the arrival of electronic communication and social media.  On one had it is great to hear from and see pictures of many more folks on a much more regular basis than once a year.  On the other hand, there is something  that I miss about those Christmas cards that helped make this wonderful season even a little brighter.

I am as guilty as the next person and you prob ably will not be receiving a card from me this year but that does not mean that I no longer care to send the very best, it simply means that the times, they are a changin’ and I am trying to change with them.  So here is wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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