The Holiday Letter

Late Holidays

The internet has put old-fashioned letter-writing on the verge of extinction. As we become more and more technologically-advanced, the idea of sitting down and hand-writing a message to another person becomes less and less of a daily process. After all, we're busy people, right? Time is money. Time is precious. Never enough time. Time, time, time, time. It's all about how much of it we spend to do what we do.

Late Holidays

Well, the holidays offer us an opportunity, even give us permission, to slow down a bit and enjoy a respite from the hectic world we've created. And we have created it to be this way. Think back to the days when letter-writing was considered an art. Was it that we didn't have as much to do then? That what we did have to do was less important than it is today? I think not. The internet has made people across the globe nearly as close as if they lived in the house next door. With that shrinking world has come more opportunity and with that opportunity, a demand for everything has arisen from the added audience.

Late Holidays

We can make that work to everyone's benefit, though, beyond just taking advantage of market growth. We now have a chance to learn about people we may have, in the past, never been able to get to know. The advancement of technology is an advancement in humanity. Life is people. Without each and every one of us, technology would mean absolutely nothing. Let's never forget that communication is the basis for technology.

Late Holidays

And yes, we can, and of course do, communicate via that technology. Yet there are times during each year when communicating the "old fashioned" way brings about a greater sense of togetherness. Letter-writing is a good way to bring our family, friends, even business associates up-to-date with what's been going on in our world during the year soon behind us. The Christmas Letter has long been a tradition in many households. Somewhere roundabout maybe August or September, many make a big deal of sitting down and thinking back over the year - what's gone well, promotions, set-backs, health issues, new family members, losses, and always, promises of the future. That sincere sharing of life is compiled in a letter, sometimes hand-written and as often, typed up on the computer, and then mailed out via the postal system to all those special folks.

These letters cannot be created on just any sort of paper, though. It's the holidays! A festive, fun or religious scene on paper that feels good to the touch . . . such things make a difference in how our message is received. It even makes a difference to those of us who compile the message, giving us an immediate sense of the importance of the act. It's done usually only once a year and, for that, it's a ritual. An effort which deserves its own unique presentation.

These special letters are often included inside a holiday greeting card. The combination creates a memory of its own . . . thoughts of good times past, shared experiences, possibilities for the new year - don't ever discount the power of sending a personal message to the folks who, for many reasons, mean the most to you.

The Holiday Letter

Late Holidays