Tuesday, December 12, 2006

The Christmas card dilemma

I am sure most people when they write their Christmas cards do so just selecting the cards at random or working methodically through the box. If only I found it so easy. For me, writing Christmas cards has become a major moral dilemma! Often I will agonise over my choice of cards - does it look appropriate? Is the message the right tone? Will it offend the person I am sending it too or give the wrong message?

Aaargh!

I despair of myself sometimes! Then there is the fact that some people at work don't like receiving Christmas cards but it seems unfair to give cards to some people and not others. Then does everyone celebrate Christmas and will they be offended if I give them a card?

Of course the choice of card also brings another whole raft of questions. Some cards are definitely nicer and more expensive than others. If I send a cheaper card to someone who I don't like much or don't know that well, is it rude or just disrespectful?

Finally, there's what to write inside. Do I just go with the person's name and mine and leave the rest to be said by the printed message or do I add my own words? What do I say if I do? As a rule I will never sign a card with 'Love' or any similarly affectionate sign-offs. It just seems so inappropriate for a man to say that in a card yet for a woman the word can be used almost at free will without it ever meaning anything than something genuinely innocent and generous. Why is that? Not that I would want to write 'Love, Mark' in cards to my male friends!

So you can see my dilemma?

Maybe next year I should not bother sending any cards at all and save myself the stress and worry, lol.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Greeting cards are an antiquated victorian custom, environmentally unfriendly, a burden on the postal system and waste of money. Don't bother! :)

Anonymous said...

I have a blogspot blog now!

www.presentmoment2007.blogspot.com

Joe said...

There's nothing like the personal touch of sending a card, especially with our ailing post office having hardly anything else to send the rest of the year. I just wish I could write more letters than I have time for nowadays.

PS: Thanks for the Spinnaker Tower card Mark. I've also got some nice cards so far from Craig, Bob, Mandy, Tim, and Derek - and Carla too!

Anonymous said...

Yep, that xmas card was from both of us! :) Carla and I can't agree on the Xmas card thing...I love them!!