Christmas Traditions

     Today, the day after Christmas, I settled down to write my Christmas Cards.  Yes, I know that Christmas is over.  Yes, I know that in our digital age it is perfectly acceptable to send an email...or a tweet...or a facebook whateveryoucallit.  But last year, somewhere around Dec 31, I got a phone call from one of my  relatives, who reprimanded me for not sending her a Christmas Card.  She reminded me that my mother ALWAYS sent Christmas cards (my mother passed away in Dec. many years ago and made sure her Christmas cards were completed early that year...many people got them after she had left us).  OUCH!!
     So this year, I actually  braved a trip to a shopping mall to be sure I had an ample supply of cards.  And I sweated out the line at the post office to get just the right Christmas stamps.   Was this adequete penance?  Well, almost but not quite.  You see, I have email addresses but I don't keep snail mail addresses.  So don't be suprised if you get an email from me seeking your address. Or maybe I'll just wish you Season's Greetings on facebook. 
     The point of all this is  traditions change. There probably was a time when people didn't send Christmas cards; in fact there probably was a time when people didn't celebrate Christmas.  And I am not my mother, in many many ways.  But people get attached to their traditions and you have to respect that, although within reason.  If you send me a Christmas Card with a return address on it chances are that I will send you a card...unless I lose the envelope, which is what happened this year with the particular relative's card who inspired this reflection in the first place.  Ouch again.
     When I find this relative's address (actually I admitted I lost it via electronic media, and  am awaiting a reply ) I will put it in a safe place.  And every year, as long as this person is with us, I will carefully pick out a nice card and send it to her--but it will be after Christmas day.  Now about that tradition that involves slaughtering a freshly caught goose, and slowly cooking it over an open fire all night--sorry, but we'll be having the preslaughtered preroasted version courtesy of Whole Foods.  That way, there will be more time available to enjoy the traditions that bring us together in peace and with joy.  Now isn't that what Chrisatmas traditions are supposed to be about?