Commentary

A Little Holiday Cheer Goes A Long Way

by Darrah MacLean , December 30, 2009

As I packed my suitcase to head home to Detroit last week, I noticed something unusual. I only had three small presents to squeeze in amongst my bulky sweaters and boots. It was a holiday miracle made possible by dozens of Internet elves working their magic.

With each passing year, I rely more and more on online shopping when it comes to gifts for faraway friends and family. Simply put, it's a matter of convenience and necessity. As a result, I also rely on email to let me know where I can find the best deal. Rather than spend several hours searching for the perfect gifts, packaging them to mail, and standing in line at the post office, I can sit at my desk and wrap up my list with just a few clicks. And I can do it in my pajamas without even having to brush my teeth. (C'mon, you've done it, too.)

So when I say I turned into an online shopping Scrooge, you must understand that there had to be a reason. During the last five days leading up to Christmas, opening my inbox felt like walking into an overcrowded mall where people are standing outside their stores yelling SALE! FREE SHIPPING! SAVE! BUY! YOU STILL HAVE TIME! 5 DAYS LEFT! HURRY! I feel like Charlie Brown here, but where is the Christmas spirit?

I love holiday cards. I really do. I love sending them and I love receiving them. I love walking down to my mailbox and seeing it full of cards. I love posting them to my fridge to create a collage of friends and family near and far. I love the tradition of it all. As a kid, I remember my mom spending days and days writing holiday letters and addressing envelopes by hand. Before email and Facebook, the once-a-year holiday card was how people stayed in touch with each other across the miles and years.

And that's why I want to give a simple shout-out to the retailers who sent me holiday e-wishes. You were few and far between, which is why I almost missed your holiday cheer amidst the screaming SHOP NOW subject lines. If I had a virtual fridge, you'd be on it.

P.S. Just one comment on the Pets Unlimited email... the View E-Card button is so buried I almost missed it!

3 comments about "A Little Holiday Cheer Goes A Long Way ".

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Bill Hunter from Wilmington Design Company, December 30, 2009 at 12:18 p.m.
I agree - we decided to create an interactive "holiday cheer" Christmas card again this year because of the great feedback.
http://www.wilmingtondesignco.com/card/
Happy New Year.
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Rita Allenrallen@freshaddress.com from FreshAddress, Inc., December 30, 2009 at 2:40 p.m.

I, too, am one who appreciates tangible greetings and have decided to wait until the New Year to mail mine when the holiday season calms down. As an avid user of email, I let my friends and family know electronically to expect my annual greeting via direct mail after the 1st. Email offers vendors an expedient opportunity to build loyalty relationships. Nice acknowledgment...and I enjoyed opening each, further sharing their branding!

Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited, December 30, 2009 at 7:07 p.m.

If you really were my friend, I would make sure I took the time to send you a card to tell you are my friend. When in sales and could not give so many appreciation gifts, a really nice card made a big difference. However, the no charge shipping on line does make a difference and will make more of a difference for the people who are visiting via air for the holidays and want to bring the gifts and can't pack them.