My friend Jen recently blogged an entry about New Year's resolutions and Christmas Card writing.

The following is a comment I left on her blog regarding the latter issue:I'm torn on the Christmas card thing. On one hand, I hate the process each year. I have 502 people in my Outlook addressbook. No, few if any of them are "Internet" friends; I have known them or at least have met every last one in Real Life... dancing, working, learning, playing, traveling, flirting, or a combination thereof.

The process of winnowing -- combined with the realization that writing and sending cards involves a not-insignificant amount of time and money -- is something I do dread each year.

But then I remind myself how happy I am when I get cards. Real cards I can touch, not e-mails that are easy to send, easy to file or delete.

And each year I am surprised as well as pleased. This year, I got a card from one of my sister's friends, a woman for whom I've always been fond of. She was actually thinking of me, and cared enough to write a few paragraphs? Wow! I also got a card from an old high school friend, a college (unrequited) crush, and assorted other folks that I either had or had not written myself.

Christmas card writing is an arbitrary and often frustrating process. But it's rewarding, too. It forces me to go through my contact list and think... whom should I write? Why? Is it time to file this contact away? Oh, THIS person? Erk! It's long overdue for me to actually CALL them! Hmm.

It's sort of the front-end on New Years resolutions, if you will, Jen. The actual execution isn't necessarily as valuable as the contemplation.

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