<p>Yeah, I know that from a “green” standpoint (both financially and environmentally) email cards are the way to go. But getting Christmas cards is one of the things I love most about the holidays, and it just isn’t the same when they don’t come in the mail and you don’t get that tactile satisfaction of opening an envelope.</p>
<p>There are a lot of people – relatives, classmates, former co-workers and neighbors – who were an important part of our lives who now live far away. We don’t see or hear from them often, but we still care about them and love getting a new photo of the kids and hearing how they are doing. A personal note is terrific, but we’ll take what we can get. One friend always writes a terrific Christmas letter in which a paragraph is a short, humorous synopsis of what’s going on in their lives, and the second paragraph is customized to focus on stuff specifically related to us, mutual friends, and topics of mutual interest. It’s a letter I especially look forward to receiving each year – although I love all the Christmas letters and photos we receive.</p>