Have you received any holiday cards in the mail?

[PatrickforO]

11. Yes, we've gotten maybe four or five.

We don't send them out any more. I think the last time we sent out holiday cards was maybe 2007 or so. After that, it just went by the wayside, because...why?

Well, I can get in touch with everyone I know and care to stay in touch with instantly through email, text or even telephone/skype. My wife had relatives in Beijing at one point, and she skyped with them at least once a week. Just no need to send a card at Christmas.

Then, it became faddish to send a synopsis of how you spent the year - the places you went, the things you did, events in your family. These got to the point where they covered both sides of an 8.5X11 sheet, complete with photos.

Not everybody can pull that off, though. I have a delightful cousin, in her mid-70s, who sends one of these each year. Hers is usually two pages or more, because she travels all over the world. She's a great lady, and I actually look forward to her little synopsis at the end of each year.

Others in my family, not so much, because you just get some pictures and that's it.

Truly, if you look at the names of people in your old fashioned address book and actually think it through, there is no real reason to send cards to those with whom you've not had any contact the entire year. Is there?