It was once common for households to receive 100+ Christmas cards —some with Christmas letters inside—during December. The carefully selected cards would feature beautiful illustrations or photos, and the letters would summarize the top news from that year, such as children’s activities, family vacations, and work updates. Today, however, these printed-and-mailed expressions of holiday cheer have increasingly been replaced by Facebook and Instagram posts that reach all your friends and followers instantly. Southern Living magazine put out an Instagram poll in 2022 that asked, “Do you think Christmas cards are a dying art?” A whopping 63% responded, “Sadly, yes they are.” The rest said, “No, they’re better than ever!” This shows that while some people have given up the tradition, those on “team Christmas cards” remain fiercely committed. It’s easy to understand the appeal of switching from paper to posts. You don’t have to pay for Christmas cards and stamps, and you don’t have to set aside hours to write messages in each card individually, sign your name, and address the envelopes. With social media, you can simply choose your favorite photo(s), write a quick “Merry Christmas” message to everyone, and tap a button. You’re done in a few minutes and haven’t spent a dime. Then there’s the topic of the annual Christmas letter, sometimes referred to as a “brag rag.” The need for it has greatly diminished given that family news now tends to be distributed online throughout the year. Why send a summary on paper when you’ve already shared highlights about your children, trips, job, health, hobbies, and home improvement projects on a weekly basis on social media? The reasons why traditional Christmas cards (with or without Christmas letters inside) still have fans are primarily sentimental. Senders cherish the tradition of carefully selecting the card’s design and thinking about loved ones as they prepare the cards for mailing. Recipients feel touched to receive handwritten greetings and enjoy using the cards as holiday decorations around their home. KMTelecom uses a variety of ways to share Christmas messages, including this newsletter! You can also check out our Facebook and Instagram pages to see what’s happening this season. Warm Up Winter with Random Acts of Kindness We have the power to change the course of someone’s day through random acts of kindness. They don’t have to take much time or cost any money. It’s the small things that can make a huge difference. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking: • Call a friend you haven’t spoken to for a while. • Shovel the driveway for your elderly neighbor. • Offer to babysit for a family member. • Send an interesting article to a friend. • Donate household items to a charity. • Bring in homemade treats for your co-workers. • Praise a colleague for something they’ve done well. • Let someone jump the queue at the supermarket. • Allow a driver to merge into your lane. • Pay for the order behind you in the drive-through lane. KMTelecom believes strongly in giving back to the community through volunteer hours, participation in community organizations, scholarships, financial donations—and random acts of kindness. Has Social Media Replaced Christmas Cards and Letters?
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