Are Paperless Holidays Good?
from the some-good,-some-bad dept
Now that the holiday season is in full swing, some are wondering if the trend to move away from paper holiday cards and letters is taking away from the concept. If it’s the thought that counts, does it count less when the end result is easier/cheaper or less personalized? Part of this sounds like typical complaining about the “less personal” feel of some new technologies. Just like many things, I think it has advantages and disadvantages. Certainly, in some instances it seems less personal. Also, going completely electronic means that some people will never see your message thanks to spam filters and fear of viruses. However, it also can make it easier to communicate with some people. Already this year I’ve received two electronic holiday notes from friends who I’m sure I wouldn’t have heard from otherwise. The ease of email/web communications made sure I got included and lets me know what they’re up to, and reminds me to drop them a separate note to see how they’re doing. While it would be great if we could all write deeply personal notes to everyone we know, the ease of internet communications makes it possible to stay in touch with those who you’re not as close with, but who are still worth keeping as friends.
