Christmas Card Conundrum Book II

Impossible as it seems, it was four years ago that I blogged about prioritizing my Christmas card list. This year, I noticed a very different dynamic.

I usually get my cards in the mail early -- most often I finish them the week after Thanksgiving. And then I wait and watch as cards trickle into my mailbox. However, this year, I waited until the second week of December, not entirely certain I was going to send cards at all.

In the first part of December, I received very few cards -- by the 15th, I had two. After I mailed mine, a few days went by with nothing more. Then, allowing for a few days for mine to arrive and response cards to get mailed, I suddenly had a blizzard of cards.

Now, it's possible that most people wait until the last minute to mail their cards. It's much more likely that these folks only send out cards when they receive them. I know, that's a pessimistic viewpoint, perhaps even cynical. Somehow, it feels like the truth.

Now, I freely admit there are a couple of people I don't send cards to unless I receive one from them. These people are more acquaintances, not so much friends. This makes me wonder if that's what I am to the people I consider close friends?

Ironically, there are friends I know never send out Christmas cards and I feel better about them -- at least they're consistent. Most of these contact me other ways during the holidays: a call, an e-mail, a Facebook message, a text.

I wonder what would happen next year if I sent out nothing?

New Year's Eve is tomorrow night. With that in mind, I commit this sentiment to the universe: please keep those I care about safe in the coming year. Let them prosper and love and be loved in return.