My personal experience with holiday cards seems typical. I recall many years ago taking the time to pick out just the right box of cards and then I'd carve out time during the holidays to sit down with the cards, my address book, a roll of holiday stamps and a cup of tea or hot chocolate to write out the cards and address the envelopes. With each card I thought about the friends or relatives it would be going to, how I knew them, and how they'd touched my life in some way. It was a yearly holiday tradition and a part of the season like picking out a tree, shopping, baking, and decorating the house.
And then there’s the flip side – the fun of receiving cards from friends and loved ones throughout the holiday season. Opening the mailbox to a stack of green and red envelopes. Every card received was a reminder of the season and its meaning. I saw some of the kids of dear friends grow up from afar through yearly holiday cards. I saw families and beloved pets year after year evolve and grow through photos in cards, and each one received provoked a precious memory.
Many holiday cards received turned into a special holiday decoration in my home. A garland of cards strung together lined my mantle, while others were taped to a doorway welcoming those who entered the room with some holiday cheer.
But then sadly, somewhere over time, the tradition of sending holiday cards stopped and the number of cards we receive dwindled. After a moving a time or two, I stopped getting as many cards, and with little time and new priorities during the holidays, I stopped sending cards as well. So is sending holiday cards, much like letter writing in general, becoming a lost art and a passé holiday tradition?
Much of it has to do with the digital age. With texts, email, and social media, we're in constant contact, and perhaps the need to send cards is seen as no longer necessary. According to an article dated December 24, 2024, in the New York Post, “Americans are receiving fewer Christmas cards – and most of them could care less,” by Oliver Lewis, six in 10 adults are receiving fewer Christmas cards, and the author goes on to cite a study of 2,000 U.S. adults that found that 44% hoped that the downward trend of sending and receiving holiday cards continues for the rest of Christmas 2024.
Lisa Hladish, owner of Paper Daisies in Chamblee, is a professional when it comes to cards and stationery, and with the rise of all things digital and AI, she says they are very supportive of anything paper. And for those who believe the notes are read and tossed in the trash, Lisa says that notion breaks her heart and that the notes can make an impact on the recipients life. They’ve seen it firsthand when guests sit on the couch with an invitation in hand because it’s made an impact in their lives. “We’re obviously big fans of handwritten stationery, note cards, wedding invitations,” she says. “We feel that they build stronger relationships, set intention, tells someone you’re thinking of them, and you’ve taken the time to sit down and write. We like to say they’re like sending little presents out to people, and that’s something that I truly believe.”
Lisa says she realizes the notes and cards cost money and can get expensive, and it’s hard to find the time with a full schedule, especially around the holidays, to sit down and write them out. She suggests ordering less and paring down your list for sending holiday cards, set a time and place to write out the cards to make it an enjoyable experience, and save time by using the computer for addressing the envelopes using address labels or mail merge and ordering stamps from usps.com rather than standing in line at the post office.
In the digital age, sending holiday cards or a personal, handwritten note is, perhaps, one of the most meaningful and impactful things we can do, and Lisa also points out that picking the right card or stationery should also be an enjoyable experience. “If you like a really modern look or a really traditional one, there are so many options now,” she says. “It really lets you brand yourself with personalized stationery. And personalized stationery can also make a unique gift for the people on your holiday gift list, and it can be great way to support local artists."
Paper Daisies specializes in stationery for big celebrations. The studio is located in Chamblee and is by appointment. For more information, visit paper-daisies.com.
We like to say they’re like sending little presents out to people...