It’s the middle of November and the giant Christmas tree is decorated and lit up beside Santa’s sleigh at City Hall in Saskatoon. You can drop by and check it out and, while you’re at it, feel free to drop a new, unwrapped toy into the sleigh for Secret Santa. Not mandatory but a nice gesture. I guess it’s also time for sending greeting cards for those who still practise the habit. Growing up I remember Christmas cards were a big thing. They were special, especially when they came from distant relatives or friends. I think that all changed due to technology. We still get cards in the mail from some relatives or old friends who live in a different city or province, but the volume is down to less than a quarter of what it was in the old days. Nowadays almost everyone we know has a computer and sends messages via electronic mail rather than snail mail. That includes Christmas greetings, not to mention birthdays and anniversaries. Is an email as good as a physical card in the mailbox? I think it can be as good or even better because it’s so easy for the sender to write a few paragraphs to catch you up on their circumstances, plus they can include as many pictures as they want. Some might disagree and believe an old-fashioned card is still the best and I certainly wouldn’t disagree if that is their preference, but for me, a nice email does the trick. I can always print and keep it if I feel like it.

That’s Coffeetalk. I’m Vic Dubois.