The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1951-12-14
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or Ineonsiderats

Like the waters that came down at Lodore, the
Christmas cards for 1851 are beginning to pour and
dash and spatter and flood great business Christ
mas cards. notable industry in an age charac-
terlzed justly as industrial" While this is seasonal
activity in sense, its work goes through the year
Great armies of amateur salesmen supplement the
shops In the distribution OF Christmas cards. and in
almost any month of the year,--certany from June
or July onward-ittle ads that run down the sides
OF magazine pages urge the hopeful and unwary to
send ror sample kits and solicit sales among
kinfolk and acquaintance. Always there is box
of Fl cards Cor Is of super de luxe Variety to be
retailed at one dollar, nice percentage of which
is pocketed by the seller
70 be sure, the manufacturers and distributors
of Christmas cards have many other types Of cards
TO occupy their time and interest throughout the
year. Greetings, salutatonS, congratulations,
hortations (such as get we'll quick, pleasant if
somewhat silly recommendation and reminders,
available in luxurious abundance for every con-
eeivable occasion Birthdays and other annver-
sarieS weddings births. vacations raises in salary,
sickness, recovery, retirement promotion, all have
their cards. Just the OCCASION however bizarre
seemingly unique and any good stationery store
or adequate FveandTen will rifle out selection
OF artistic wonders pat to the purpose OF the mo-
ment
And every one of the multitude of cards will
bear its printed-or engraVed,-message gracefully
expressed and often in rhymes. Somewhere there
is hidden host Of literae folk (the income tax in
vestgationS may smoke them OUT who earn a living
by composing lines for greeting cards. The les.
does not list Greeting Card Composition among its
golden opportunities, but some day it may do
Why not? Manilestly here is form OF artistry or
at lease of employment, which buffers the parsnips
in many an obscure American household.
There are objections brought by the refined and
sensitive against the practice of sending greeting
cards 1t is so definitely bourgeois But it is a boom
ing business not to be stopped or slowed by delicate
shudders paror satire And surely, when all
is said it is harmless matter IL poses no moral or
economic difficulty in an age that is drey beset
with such problems.
AS for taste, that is another question, and, If the
adage be true, a question not subject to argument
Doubtless, personal message, composed and pen.
ned by the person who sends IT, is always preferable
to a ready-made greeting bought at a counter. But
what is preferable is not always possible The flood
of cheerful greetings that flows to and fro through
our post-officcs would be diminished to less than
rickle if all such greetings were head and hand
made for each individual use The available greeting
card sets all people on a level; the slow of fancy
and the readily articulate the cultured person and
the terate, have here common ground, an
equal opportunity of selection.
1t is a pleasant and profitable thing, a Chris.
tian thing to hail neighbor in passing Some greet.
ing cards arc unquesonably in bad taste, but in the
main they arc expressions of kindly feeling, of
thoughtlulness, and this is always good. The type
of card selected may be unfit but the fact that a
card is selected is always fitting; greetings and
good wishes part, however small and nci-
dental of true Christian charity OF brotherly love
Christmas is surely the most notable of all oc.
cssions for sending and receiving greeting cards
The ploddng postman bends under their burden
Many heart is gladdened in this holy time, by be-
ing remembered and saluted, even by way of print
ed and unoriginal verse. And even silly or pagan
card may be made TO serve this Christian purpose
So we send our cards gladly and receive our
cards with JOY. What If they convey incidentally
and in an undertone) the notion of commercialism?
What il they tell the thoughtful sender recipient
that somebody Cor host of Somebodies) is making
a lot OF money out of the Christmas card racket!
Such money is hardly to be called tainted; purchaS
err OF cards feel that they receive fair value fol
what they pay out And there is no commercialsn
in the spirit which sends out the commercially made
cards of greeting
There is An oddity to be noticed here. Men pur
chase and send Christmas cards, choosing quickly
and mailing messages unread Women choose witt
care reading every word of the message imprinted
even if it be in and run to many lines. Ant
again, when they receive cards women read then
with attention, missing word. Men glance quck
at the signature TO who has remembered them
and take The message for granted. You might prn
an Easter message Christmas card, and no
one man in ten would be aware of anything amiss
not ono woman in thousand would miss the II
eptitude.
, Well you may have many Christmas card an
many Christmas Joy. We must not forget howeve
H. The furry of cards. that celebrate the Brit
1 day of the Prince of Peace without Whom there ca
e be no peace on earth. Christmas time should bel
to heaven flood of suppliant prayers for peae
c flood that should stand TO the flood OF cards
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