I’m not a fan of obligatory cards.

I recently hand-wrote a note card to a friend who’s also my employee whose dog had died the night before. I’m a writer, so I feel like cards can’t express what I can.

My mother, on the other hand, lives for cards. Whatever the occasion, it’s never complete for my mother unless a card is in the mail.

Which brings me to holiday cards. And be warned: I am probably expressing a very unpopular opinion.

I don’t like Christmas cards.

I feel the same way about Christmas cards as I do about Facebook birthday greetings. They aren’t genuine.

People who drop a note on your Facebook wall or send a holiday card often make no effort to stay in touch the rest of the year. Why bother now?

It’s okay to fall out of touch with people. Lives change. Circumstances change. I respect that some people feel the need to remind other people that we are all connected.

But how many cards will I get this year addressed to my soon-to-be ex-husband and I? So far, one. And it’s my first Christmas card of the season.

I have a lot of friends who call once a year or even every other year, but I just can’t feel good about exchanging cards with everyone in my address book just because it’s December.