Bob and I joked about rating our Christmas cards and giving people feedback on them. The joke was how inappropriate rating and ranking can be – and how inhibiting. Imagine how many cards we would get next year if we told people they came in tenth or thirtieth in our Christmas card evaluations!
When we enjoyed the cards together before bed, we actually did “rate” them with a very sweet tone. We saw each card in terms of its essence, and what award it could get. The most personal card, the most clever card, the most nostalgic card.
His sister underlined words in her card for emphasis, which is a family practice, so her card got kudos for family traditions. It wasn’t really a ranking, it was a celebration. It was praise. It was communion with the sender. We feel closer to our community for doing that.
