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Should you send that new friend, the one you met at the book club, a card with a pastoral winter scene on the front, or a picture of the baby Jesus, or a graphic that says "Happy Holidays?" Are you going to insult someone who doesn't celebrate a religious holiday if you send them a card with a religious scene or sentiment? What if you have a Jewish friend-should the card you give her say, "Happy Hanukah?"
These are questions that probably most everyone considers when they decide the best way to communicate the holidays with others by sending holiday cards. These points are important and thoughtful. Since this time of year is one of friends and family, and a time when being a part of each other's lives is highlighted, it stands to reason that we would want to put our best foot forward.
We tend to start celebrating-by virtue of commercialism-earlier and earlier every year. With a tightened 2008 economy, it seems that the selling world has lengthened our shopping calendar even more. Barely had Labor Day ticked off its last minute than we began to see generic Christmas decorations showing up in stores all over. By the time we've seen the last lil' trick-or-treater on our Halloween doorstep, we'll be able to walk into WalMart and find Christmas tree bulbs and stockings and front-yard Santas for sale in the store's year-round section.
We've made Christmas a generic sort of holiday. Much of the strictly spiritual significance has been pushed aside to make way for a celebration of togetherness notwithstanding any personal deep-seated belief. If I send you a card that shows a decorated tree with twinkling lights, brightly-colored bulbs, and mistletoe in the doorway, it means no disrespect if your holiday includes a menorah and eight days of presents. I simply want to wish you the best of holidays . . . no matter how you may celebrate and no matter what differences there may be between our cultures. There has to be a common ground.
That's the point of the holidays. We have different traditions, quite possibly even different belief systems. Yet the spirit of the season has the exact same message for one and all: love and understanding. While the commercial side of our society tells us to fill up our world with all sorts of shiny and colorful decorations, the reason behind those accoutrements can be summed up as simply our own personal expression of seasonal enjoyment, all of us wanting to communicate our happiness with anyone who may care to pay attention.
The fact that we want to send a holiday card filled with good wishes to others-whether they be family we've known all our lives, or a friend we just met-this is the true meaning of the season. If you know the person well, send them something that expresses your understanding of their world. If you have just met, simply share the joy of the season . . . your new friend will likely return the sentiment.
Linda J. Alexander, http://www.myspace.com/lindajalexander is a Maryland author and copywriter with 5 books and many articles on the market over the 20+ years she's written. She likes to use 123Print for marketing and personal promtional needs.
