Marking Time: 5 Reasons to Send Holiday Cards
Guess what: we’re all human. And since we’re humans and we generally have to interact with one another in society, we’ve agreed on ways to mark the passage of time (clocks, calendars, seasonal equinox, daylight savings, New Year’s Eve parties….). We’ve done this so that we can function effectively as a species, and so that our shared ideas of time can help our brains process the changes that occur as a result of our lived experiences (e.g., “Why do I see so many gray hairs on my head when I look in the mirror now?! Oh yes…I just celebrated my forty-third birthday…this is normal for forty-three-year olds of my kind”).
Marking time in one shape or form is a thing humans have done from the beginning. It’s part of how we make sense of our world. Not only have we created complex systems that we use in our modern world to keep tabs on our time and place (think Apple Watch or Google Maps), we also have long-held rituals and traditions we’ve inherited that help us transition and “step over the threshold” into new stages and seasons, while also reminding us to reflect on where we’ve been (think birthday candles, religious holidays and festivals, New Year’s resolutions). There seems to be something deep within us that needs to stop and acknowledge the inevitable, existential nature of change, even when our day-to-day lives may have seemingly changed very little.
“It is wise in your own life to be able to recognize and acknowledge the key thresholds; to take your time; to feel all the varieties of presence that accrue there; to listen inward with complete attention until you hear the inner voice calling you forward.”
Traditions like annual holiday cards are just one small way we mark time and “acknowledge the threshold” of a change in season and the transition into a new year. They help us feel a little bit more grounded and human in our ever-changing world. If you’ve always sent holiday cards, you might pause and reflect a bit about why you’re doing it in the first place (and approach it a little differently this year accordingly?). If you’ve never been one to send out a holiday card and you aren’t sure it’s worth it, perhaps you’ll consider a little food for thought…
5 REASONS TO SEND HOLIDAY CARDS:
THEY MARK TIME: Cards are a small but effective way to make sense of the moment we’re in. We're human and we need these kinds of reminders. Annual holiday cards can actually help our brains process the change of seasons from fall to winter and the year that is coming to a close.
CARDS ARE TANGIBLE: Sending snail mail in an increasingly digital world can be beautiful (that's right…REAL paper that you can hold in your hand and hang on a wall)!
MOMENTS OF GRATITUDE: Whether you're reminiscing as you sift through a year's worth of photos to choose for your own card, addressing a card to be sent to your childhood best friend for the 20th year in a row, or receiving a sweet picture and note from an unexpected source, holiday card moments create opportunities to reflect on the past, look towards the future, and cultivate gratitude here and now for all the people who have entered your orbit over the years.
COMMUNITY: People want to hear from you. It may be the only time this year that you’ve communicated with a few of the folks on the ole’ mailing list, but honestly, holiday cards can still be important touch points. Small gestures can move mountains when it comes to maintaining relationships across time and space.
GIVE & YOU SHALL RECEIVE: This isn’t 2007 and you’re not trying to accumulate as many Facebook friends as possible, but let’s face it…when you send a card to someone, you’re more likely to get one in return, and there’s nothing more beautiful then a space FULL of kind words and pictures you’ve received from the people you love.
At the end of the day, don't just send a card because “that's what you've always done.” Send it to share a little bit of your story…your joys, your surprises, your growth, your grief, your love…with all your people. Mark this moment in time, and step over the threshold into the new year.
By Katie Clum, Producer | November 2022