Are the ever popular holiday photo cards on the way out?

Everyone it seems, is fixated these days on their holiday card- getting the best photo, finding or designing the card and getting this done as quickly as possible- like before Thanksgiving would be ideal. But since we all live in the real world only 10% of folks will accomplish this and the rest will struggle and worry and finally get it done before the unofficial socially acceptable date of December 15th. That is 80% will; there will be the final 10% that just give up or decide that this year there will be no photo card. So, why are we so engrossed in this tradition and does anyone really care?
I personally think that with the economic conditions we are living in, the strife and concern that many of us have about how things are going both for us and for the country, these photo cards validate and recognize what we all consider the most important element of our lives- our family our kids and our pets. Damn the rest of this convoluted world -at least we have our loved ones to anchor us. These cards provide sanity in a world we can’t control. You have to agree to some extent because we don’t see people sending out holiday cards of their new Maserati or their chalet in Aspen unless the family is in it. It’s not what we own, it’s who we are and what we hold dear. And really, what else matters more? Here in our chaotic world we get to see family and friends that you love and respect and they are smiling and looking for all the world as if they are safe, sound and secure. Isn’t this what we pray for everyday? Well, for one brief month we get to see it , and have the option of keeping it up on the refrigerator for as long as we need to see it. So that’s not so bad for a $1.50 photo card.
Steve Hendrix of the Washington Post said back in 2008: “to the average mother, the entire social construct hangs on a once-a-year exchange of cardboard with best friends from third grade, long ago piano teachers and cousins so far out on the family tree that they might be another branch of primates altogether. And all the better if the missive includes a recent photo of the offspring, (extra points if taken at a ski resort), and a whitewashed summery of the year’s family news.”
Linda Cress Dowdy wrote in September-“when it comes to the annual sending of Holiday Cards I’ve wondered why the tradition that started in the 1800’s has continued to this day. With all of the phone calls, emails, texts, tweets, facebook posts and social networking opportunities, you would think the sending of greeting cards would fast become a lost art. Instead, the personal connection holiday cards bring are more important than ever “. She goes on to list 5 reasons:
1) Personal relationships- You need to put more effort into maintaining and growing your personal relationships, and holiday cards do that.
2) Loyalty-It takes effort to build loyalty and even more to maintain it; especially true in business.
3) Hard Copy- People mostly ignore emails but these cards are displayed and the photos often saved.
4) Time well spent- yes it takes time but you will be rewarded with lasting partnerships and begin new connections.
5) Stay in touch- You are not just saying I’ll see you soon, but are taking the effort to proactively invest in your future.
“Ok so after all is said and done”, says Jane Roper, “there’s the old fashioned part of tradition, the personal connection. Plus the competition, some friends send out really great cards, I need to stay on their list so I m getting my list and cards ready but to appease my husband, perhaps I will delete those that don’t send back, or we never see either in the flesh or online.” There you have it, seems like the holiday photo card will live on for another season, maybe that’s an emotional stimulus plan we can all take some comfort in.

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