SWAC (sealed with a click)
One "enough of this nonsense already, this one will do just fine" holiday photo...
17 meaningless but nonetheless paralyzing background, font, color and language choices for the card itself...
6 steps in an online proofreading process which I guarantee didn't stop me from missing some glaring error...
21 recipients contacted for updated addresses (none of which I was forward thinking enough to record in a safe place so that I'll have them handy next year)...
78 cards addressed, stamped and -- in many cases -- inscribed with a personal message...
One enormous sigh of relief as the whole damn project concludes for yet another year.
And yet... no paper cuts. No cramped hand. No ink smudged. No scribbled out errors on envelopes. No truly personal touch. Because I never actually touched a single card at all.
It turns out that when your holiday card receipients are almost all an ocean away, it's cheaper to just let a US company do every bit of the work for you. My American friends will receive our holiday cards this year before I ever even see one myself. And if Shutterfly messes up and sends a "friend card" with a crude inside joke to my grandmother and a card inscribed with tender family wishes to my kids' old babysitter, I guess I'll never be the wiser.
Do me a favor. If your card arrives looking a bit odd or you've a sneaking suspicion it was meant for someone else on my holiday list, don't tell me, OK? Just know that it was sent with love and warm holiday wishes meant exclusively for you and your family... even if it is addressed to the McGillicuttys. (Nice folks, those McGillicuttys. I'm sure they'll be a little puzzled to receive my Kwanzaa greetings this year...)
17 meaningless but nonetheless paralyzing background, font, color and language choices for the card itself...
6 steps in an online proofreading process which I guarantee didn't stop me from missing some glaring error...
21 recipients contacted for updated addresses (none of which I was forward thinking enough to record in a safe place so that I'll have them handy next year)...
78 cards addressed, stamped and -- in many cases -- inscribed with a personal message...
One enormous sigh of relief as the whole damn project concludes for yet another year.
And yet... no paper cuts. No cramped hand. No ink smudged. No scribbled out errors on envelopes. No truly personal touch. Because I never actually touched a single card at all.
It turns out that when your holiday card receipients are almost all an ocean away, it's cheaper to just let a US company do every bit of the work for you. My American friends will receive our holiday cards this year before I ever even see one myself. And if Shutterfly messes up and sends a "friend card" with a crude inside joke to my grandmother and a card inscribed with tender family wishes to my kids' old babysitter, I guess I'll never be the wiser.
Do me a favor. If your card arrives looking a bit odd or you've a sneaking suspicion it was meant for someone else on my holiday list, don't tell me, OK? Just know that it was sent with love and warm holiday wishes meant exclusively for you and your family... even if it is addressed to the McGillicuttys. (Nice folks, those McGillicuttys. I'm sure they'll be a little puzzled to receive my Kwanzaa greetings this year...)
posted by Rebecca | 1:23 PM
4 Comments:
I totally wish that I had taken your approach. See, after feeling guilty and ordering the pictures and buying the cards, and even writing up a holiday update letter to insert into those cards, they are all sitting in a nice neat pile on my desk awaiting my attention. I am really thinking I should have bought the "Happy New Year" cards instead of "Happy Holidays" because I am really not up to doing them right now. Especially with all the birthday thank you notes that I now need to write...
What a smart idea! I have your card/letter sitting here ready to go to the post office. Need to get there or you'll not get it until Boxing Day (or later!)
Sorry, that anon was me. It worked though, didn't it? Now I can't delete it but feel free.
Now, to your post. I didn't even know that this type of service was available . . . What an amazing idea and very cool that you took advantage of it.
Dude, you're steps ahead of me. Miles of steps.
(This is Jennifer, btw. Damn Beta!)
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