Mixed feelings about Chrstmas

Christmas cards have started to arrive. I used to be excited to hear from people I hadn't heard of for a long time, until I realised I had quite a lot of acquaintances I don't hear from at any other time.

I used to keep the Christmas cards containing little messages so I could reply to them, naively expecting that my letters would elicit replies, and that old friendships would be revived. The replies rarely came. People would scrawl a tantalising scrap of news in their Christmas card, but just ignore my letter supplying my news and asking for amplification of theirs. Next year they'd be another unrelated snippet of prattle, but never any reply to my message.

Last year I made the usual selection of cards with messages, intending to reply, only to discover them still awaiting attention a few days ago, when they were mostly consigned to the shredder. I still can't bring myself to stop sending cards to those people I hear from only once a year. We used to have more to say to each other, and I can't bring myself to abandon the hope that we might still have something to say, though I fear that is probably wishful thinking.