How long will Christmas Cards be with us?

Perhaps I'm being premature but I think that one Christmas tradition that we know is not long for this world. The tradition, of course, is the sending and receiving of cards to everyone you have ever known. Let's be honest here: it is essentially a woman’s tradition, men help and will read the incoming cards, but if it wasn't for women, Christmas cards would not be sent.

Some people start the Christmas card process at the end of November and are not finished until a couple of days before Christmas. And, what's more they write a personal note to each recipient. None of this effort makes any sense in today’s world. The Christmas Card tradition of old is the equivalent of today's Facebook; the yearly sending and receiving of cards to see who has friended or unfriended you.

“I don’t think Mrs X sent us a card this year…guess we’ll cross her off for next year.”
“Damn, we got a card from our old neighbour/work colleague/vague acquaintance  Mr Y,  we'd better add him to next year’s list.”

The new generation is having nothing to do with this tradition or will, at least, end it very soon. They say:

“Why go to so much effort and expense when I can create one card, with multiple pictures and send it to all my friends with the push of the send button.”

They are right, of course, and that is why the card sending tradition is on the way out, but I do understand the traditionalists' point of view. They regard a cyber-greeting as cold, tacky, and tasteless. Thus my generation will continue to purchase cards, stuff envelopes, address envelopes, write messages, lick stamps, lick envelopes, and cart off several pounds of cards to the Post Office all to wish "Merry Christmas" to everyone we have ever shook hands with. Today's generation will receive these cards and think, “why do they spend so much time and so much money when there is email and Facebook?”  They will never understand how critical the card tradition has been to the women of my generation, and until the collective mindset swings over to the usage of modern technology, the Royal Mail will be remain very busy in December. But I give it five to ten more years at best.

And if you haven't received a card from me, it must have got lost in the post! Maybe next year.