Dear Editor:

Alone on Christmas morning I fired up my computer to see if there were any messages. Lo and behold there was a Christmas greeting from a relative who lives far away, but still a relative with very close blood ties. Somehow, a Christmas greeting that says “to you and 30 others” does not make me feel warm and fuzzy.

I am a child of the Great Depression and will admit that our traditions have changed a bit since then, but personal remembrances should never change. For me, a computer is a must, and I have become quite adept with its use. However, receiving a mass mailing of a greeting from someone you think of as special leaves the impression your loved one does not have that same feeling.

I suppose you could say that when I was growing up not far from where I now live in Lynnwood, we were poor. But, then again, in those days, who wasn’t. The few greeting cards we sent out and received may have been homemade, but they were made with love and were special for each individual recipient.

Yes, traditions do change, and we now have a method of keeping in touch with family and friends in a much handier fashion. Somehow, though, the common sense of expressing our love and appreciation has been replaced by quick and easy.

Tears came to this grandmother’s eyes Christmas morning. Oh, and by the way, the I-phone message was delivered into my Spam folder, so that is where I left it.

Betty Lou Gaeng
Lynnwood