Maven Poll – Did you or did you not send holiday cards this year?
By Roberta Rosenberg on Dec 30, 2008 in Maven Polls
I’ll admit that this year was a first in many ways.
One of them was that for the first time in 21 years of business I did not send a postal-related gift to clients. (I would spend weeks looking for the right postal-type chotchke every year. One year I sent little post-office shaped teapots I found in an Irish mail order catalog. It was fabulous.)
I also, again for the first time, didn’t send regular holiday cards to friends/family or business associates. I sent a few personal emails to close friends and colleagues, but that’s about all.
I noticed that others, too – family and business folks – followed suit. My biz and home mail boxes were pretty damn empty and practically echoed. Maybe it’s my age, but seeing an empty mailbox at Christmas made me a little sad.
How about you? USPS reports card volume was way down compared to 2007. Were you part of the problem – like me – or did you suck it up and send those holiday greetings? Maven wants to know …
Survey ends 1/2/09 at the stroke of midnight.
TC/Copywriter Underground | Dec 30, 2008 | Reply
In 1999 I sent fleece blankets (with “Y2K Emergency Heater” embroidered on them) – and often sent some kind of end-of-year gift – but discontinued the practice of client gifts a few years ago when it seemed like more hassle than it was worth.
TC/Copywriter Underground’s last blog post..The Typealizer Analyzes Your Blog, Personality (What’s It All Mean, Part I)
Roberta Rosenberg | Dec 30, 2008 | Reply
@Tom – fabulous idea about the blanket! I didn’t mind the shopping for this year’s ‘it’ item. I found the hunting fun. But I also thought that most of my new clients wouldn’t even ‘get’ why the postal theme?
Perhaps for 2009 I’ll find something web worthy.
Kathy Drewien | Dec 30, 2008 | Reply
I received, by USPS, 1 card from a business associate. A close personal friend hand delivered a card when we met for breakfast. Another girlfriend mailed her card to me.
One of my brothers sent a holiday email. Another sent a card the old fashioned way, with a stamp and return address.
Me? I sent nothing to my business clients or associates; or my family. I did email my 6 closest girlfriends with a link to a YouTube video on the power of girlfriends.
How about a poll on decorating Christmas trees. Mine stayed in the box in the basement.
Roberta Rosenberg | Dec 30, 2008 | Reply
@Kathy – I try to keep my polls, albeit very loosely, to the topic of writing, mail, marketing, business, etc. I’m Jewish, I don’t do trees at home, tho I loved decorating the office tree before I opened my own biz. But I can tell you my neighborhood doesn’t twinkle as much as it has in years past.
Jada Bradley | Dec 30, 2008 | Reply
I usually send out a New Year’s greeting to professional contacts. Although I did send out personal cards for Christmas, your blog post is making me think I’d better get to it if I want to send the New Year’s greeting. I shouldn’t let it fall by the wayside…