i am sitting at my desk, taunted by boxes of christmas cards that have remained unopened for yet another year.

gone are the days of letter writing in this e-mail and cell phone driven age. we can send e-cards for any occasion, chat online using our messaging program of choice, call from the store to ask what new release to pick up. but somehow, the simple christmas card lives on. perhaps it is the no-strings-attached aspect of them -- "hi there, i don't have much to say, but i still remember you exist". or perhaps it is the sense of obligation. or maybe we think that sending christmas cards is What Jesus Would Do.

personally, i'd like to think that it's because everyone is just like me. [a comforting-yet-frightening thought.] we desire to stay connected with those people that have come and gone from our daily lives, but we don't have the willpower/ability/unselfishness to do it consistently. december 25th seems a good a time as any to stay in touch, doesn't it? in some cases it's both an excuse for, and a redemption from, our lack of communication.

but more likely than not, the answer is much less cynical than any i will conjure up... namely that people just want to celebrate Christmas and share in that joyous night with those around them. basically i'm just trying to make excuses for not getting around to sending out christmas cards yet again, even though i had every intention that THIS would be the year.

so, to all of you fantastic people that did not receive a cheery greeting in your mailbox from yours truly: please do not be alarmed, offended, or otherwise put off by this non-incident. know that i care about you and probably think about you more often than you may suspect.

merry christmas to you, dear friends.