Dear Crabby,
After Thanksgiving, I always like to put up my Christmas decorations and send out my Christmas cards. But I’m wondering if I should even bother sending out any cards this year. What do you think?
Thanks, Susan Greetings
Dear Susan Greetings,
You are not the first person who I’ve heard wondering if they should bother with Christmas cards this holiday season. My daughter usually does a fancy photoshoot to put on her card and then types a letter detailing in minute detail everything her family has done or accomplished over the past year. During our Thanksgiving Zoom call, she started pouting about how there really wouldn’t be much of a point to sending out cards since she couldn’t do it her usual fancy way. OK. Those may not have been her exact words, but you get the idea. I’ll give you the same advice I gave her: send them any away.
In my opinion, this year has been stupid difficult. From lockdowns, toilet paper shortages, local and federal elections, and everything in between, this year has been a bigger bomb than the movie Cats. So, whether you’re a faithful card sender or a newbie, 2020 needs your Christmas card more than possibly any other year in modern history. You want to include a picture? Go right ahead! Sure, maybe it’s not as frou-frou as in year’s past, but the people who receive it will be happy to see your smiling faces. You may not have taken fancy trips or celebrated milestones like you have before, but that doesn’t mean you sat like lumps on a log, staring at each other. At least I hope you didn’t. The point is you can still write a letter talking about how you learned one of the popular pandemic pastimes like baking, crocheting/knitting, or canning. Maybe with so much time on your hands, you finally were able to finish a project or try a new hobby. Heck. Maybe it was just the fact that as a family you had to come up with creative ways to stay entertained. I honestly don’t care what you write about, just that you write the dang letter. Now some of you may be surprised by my reaction; perhaps even call me the “S” word: sentimental. Make no mistake, I leave the card writing to Mrs. Crabby. She’s the sappy one in our relationship, not me. But receiving Christmas cards? That helps my Crabby heart grow three times its normal size. Just like the Grinch! And there’s another important reason why you should consider sending Christmas cards this holiday season: the post office.
It’s been over two centuries since that jack-of-all-trades Ben Franklin was appointed the United States first Postmaster General. Since then, the post office and its carriers have really been put through the paces and 2020 was no different. Threats of closure and delayed mail added to an already dangerous situation. That being said, I’m sure your local post office would like nothing more than to sell you big, fat books of festive stamps to put on the hundreds of Christmas cards you have decided to send out. You get to spread some cheer and they get much-needed cash in their coffers. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.
What are you waiting for – Christmas? Get crackin’ on writing those cards so we can end this disastrous year on a high note.
Merry Humbug!
Dear Crabby
Stuck in a rut? Need some biased advice from a crabby old baby-boomer? Then email me your question at dearcrabby@rochestermedia.com. You can also head on over to my Facebook page and tell me how wonderful I am.
I agree and thanks for the advise. I usually have pre-printed cards made up. This year I am hand writing them with little notes to personalize them. Because I couldn’t travel or visit with friends, it will be much more meaningful. Darlene from Rochester Hills
Before you even answered, Mr. Crabby, I told my computer out loud that this year more than ever we should send Christmas greetings. You were spot-on in your comments.