Why You Should Still Send Holiday Cards

Checking my mail daily is rather boring. It’s full of credit card offers, medical bills and the occasional Trader Joe’s flyer. However, once Thanksgiving is over and all things Christmas explode, I look forward to checking the mail every day. I check the mail with excitement and hopes that there will be a holiday card or two in my usually boring stack of mail.

I’ve always been one to love snail mail. Back in the 4th grade, my best friend and I would send each other letters because we loved receiving mail. Sure, we saw each other every day at school, but this was much more fun. We would write letters (by hand y’all!) and sign them, of course, with BFF and LYLAS (love ya like a sister).

Growing up, I remember my mom decorating our house with holiday cards. My sisters and I would tactfully find the perfect spot and display them with such pride. Back in the 90s, it was less photo cards and more handwritten cards. We would receive updates on what distant relatives were up to and would usually include actual photographs with the K&B stamp on the back.

However, now with social media, we pretty much know what you did last summer and that little Johnny has lost his first tooth. So why then do I decide to continue to do holiday cards annually? Well, I’ll tell you why. Here are reasons why I still like to send and receive those precious cards.

It tells the recipient you were thinking of them

Go through your friends list on social media. Seriously, go through it. I know some of us have thousands of friends; yes, thousands. Certainly you aren’t sending out 1,250 holiday cards to all your “friends” on social media, are you? However, once you write out that list of cards you are sending and have spent time on who you want to share some holiday cheer with, that list dwindles from every classmate from your kindergarten class to a few select families. It’s a simple token showing that you are thinking of them and well, that can warm even the Grinch’s heart.

Receiving mail that’s not a bill

Opening your mailbox and seeing a red envelope with gold lettering is much more exciting that opening your inbox to your email. Am I right? Receiving a holiday card shows the recipient that you thought of them. You can physically hold that card; you can’t do that with an email.

Displaying the cards

Photo Credit : Amy Milam Photography

You can’t decorate your house with that cute Instagram post wishing you happy holidays, can you? Many families display their cards to spread some holiday cheer around their house. Take some twine and hang those gorgeous cards across your mantle or even around your doorway. Believe me, seeing babies in Santa hats will make you smile the whole holiday season.

A reason to take family pictures

As I look back on my childhood pictures, I have exactly 2 sibling pictures that were taken by someone other than my parents. My mom headed to the nearest Sears or JC Penney and had pictures taken of my sisters and me. We didn’t do it nearly enough, and I am sad to have only two of the cheesy goodness of family pictures from the 80s and 90s. As a mother of 3 myself now, I make it a point to get pictures done with a photographer at least once a year. Besides being able to cherish these pictures for a lifetime, another big reason to getting them done is so that I can use them for holiday cards. It gives me that extra push to book that mini session with local photographers.

So snap those photo worthy photographs and make your holiday card this year. I know your family and friends would love to see your adorable family! Let’s keep this holiday tradition alive despite living in the age of social media.

Mary Olivio
Mary is a caffeine addicted boy mom to Noah, Liam and Luke. This “stay at home” mom can typically been found cruising in her minivan, jamming to Beyonce with a Starbucks in hand on her way to carpool or after school activities. Mary has been married to her high school sweetheart since 2007. She is a founder of Delivering Hope NOLA and the Vanessa Wolff Scholarship Fund at her Alma Mater. Mary is passionate in the local preemie community and has been heavily involved with the March of Dimes since her sons Liam and Luke were born premature.

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