With Christmas approaching fast most people usually start checking their mailbox for their family and friends annual Christmas cards. Now, less and less people are sending and receiving Christmas cards because of social media. Social media has already taken up most of our generation, but now it’s getting in the way of the traditions many families have.
The amount spent on Christmas cards has gone down by 72 million dollars since 2005. As of now, the majority of people that buy and send Christmas cards are over 65 years of age. While one in three people aged 16-35 claim the appropriate way to send Christmas cards is by using social media.
Many social media apps including Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Youtube have made accommodations so someone can send a Christmas card or even a Christmas video virtually. These accommodations were made so people don’t have to go through the hassle of sending out Christmas cards, when really that’s what Christmas is all about. Natalie Adams, former Pleasant Valley student, said “ I remember when I was little my family and I would all help send out our Christmas cards and we would look forward to it every year. Now it’s weird because no one sends them out anymore, so it’s more of a surprise if we receive one in the mail.”
The decline of Christmas cards will just continue to get worse. In fact, Christmas cards will soon vanish as millenials don’t buy them, it will be a “mom and dad did this when they were kids” situation. Adams also stated, “It’s sad to see social media taking over things that have been traditions for so many years. Hopefully people will realize that if we want these Christmas traditions to keep going, we have to put our phones down and enjoy the true meaning of Christmas.”
Sending out cards and wishing family and friends happy holidays is something that happened for years and still has the chance of coming back as strong as it was. Many people say that they were too busy to send out cards this year or that they forgot too. It doesn’t take long to snap a quick picture of the family and spend a few minutes a day putting it together on a card.
Just by doing this, families can brighten up the holiday spirit and it will encourage other families to do the same.
Hope White, an aid in the district, stated, “Whenever I have families send me cards it encourages me to send one back. Hopefully by doing this Christmas cards will make a comeback.” If families put their phones down and use social media less the holiday spirit can come back like it used to be and Christmas will be even more enjoyable.
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