I wait for them in the mail, but don’t usually get as many as I send. I’m trying to update my list, so if I haven’t heard from someone in several years (at least 3) I usually figure they’re not into the card thing. If there hasn’t been other contact, it’s time to take them off the list.

But I did find one useful thing about holiday letters for people I haven’t been in touch with the best: they get updates on me they don’t always hear through the friend grapevine. Sure, everyone manages to share the pregnancy and the relocation, but somehow the upcoming novel dropped off the radar.

If only I could tell them all in person. Maybe next book!