Not Sending Holiday Cards Does Not Make You a Grinch

Holiday cards can be kind of stressful — at least for me. I agonize about what card to send, wondering if my choice looks too bland, too pretentious or too weird. Then I have to finalize my list, adding new pals and subtracting folks I never talk to anymore. Next is the actual writing of the cards, addressing them, and waiting in line at the post office for appropriately festive stamps before finally dropping them in the mail and breathing a sigh of relief.

I'm not complaining really. I actually like the act of sending and receiving holiday cards much better than the gift exchange, I'm just saying it's a bit of an art — and a time suck.

For all these reasons and more, a Time magazine Web story "The Beginning of the End for Christmas Cards?" made me sit up and take notice. Writer Brad Tuttle summed up various articles about these cards, and determined that, much like the rest of print media, the traditional mailing of paper Christmas cards might be downright anachronistic real soon.

Tuttle referenced a Daily Mail interview with Dr. Stephen Cottrell, a bishop and author of Do Nothing: Christmas is Coming, who recommended that people only send Christmas cards to people they truly love — not just like — which is sure to make everyone's holiday card list infinitely shorter.

RecessionWire and BetterBudgeting recommend skipping holiday cards entirely this year if you're trying to cut back, or at the very most send postcards, which are cheaper.

Then there's the e-card. Once considered the lazy and cheap option, electronic cards have suddenly turned chic-ly frugal and eco-friendly. Tuttle points out, "people who send e-cards probably put as much thought into the process as people sending out traditional paper cards — and it's the thought that counts, of course."

So don't freak out about the holiday cards this year. Cut your list back (as I am trying to do, somewhat unsuccessfully) or don't send them at all. Santa will understand.

Illustration courtesy of jadey919 via stock.xchang.