Thursday, December 6, 2007

Editing

So, how do you decide when to stop sending someone Christmas cards? I always struggle with this, particularly if I haven't heard anything from their end for a while. There's no way to tell if they're happy to get your card or if it goes straight into the recycling unopened. Any of you have a good rule of thumb on this one? If someone moves and you don't have their new address, how much of an effort do you make to track them down to keep sending them missives that may, after all, be unwanted?

4 comments:

MWR said...

For me, the holidays are all about settling old scores.

Seriously . . . I may occasionally cull a peripheral person, but I can usually find people who moved, since I usually have their email and/or know someone who may be in closer contact with them than I am.

I think of my cards as a form of non-reciprocal gift-giving. In a few cases they are my last connection with people I may never see or otherwise communicate with for the rest of my life. These cards represent the residual value of a relationship that was closer or more important in the past.

Thanks to Selective Total Confidence (TM), I'm certain my cards are opened and enjoyed, if some sometimes also puzzled over.

Swizzies said...

Don't edit me! :-)

I solve this by being an utter flake and never sending out cards.

Janet Kincaid said...

I resolve every year to send out cards, then never do. As for the annual Christmas letter, I'm ambivalent about them.

OTOH, it's a great way to find out what's going on in the lives of folks I've mostly lost touch with save their annual letter.

OTOH, the annual letters drive me nuts with their bragging and "my kid is smarter than anyone else's kid" or "more spiritual than Bro. and Sis. So-and-So's daughter" or... Well, you get the picture.

Maybe, because I grew up in Utah where everyone was always trying to best everyone else, I'm overly sensitive.

Anonymous said...

I love getting Christmas cards. I usually only wind up sending New Year cards, if then. But it's gonna happen this year...really;^)