[caption id="attachment_4438" align="alignleft" width="212" caption="Christmas card"]
[/caption]Carol Forsloff - More and more social communication
takes place over the Internet, even during the holidays, but with those
cards and letters, wherever they occur, what do they say about you.
Happiness folks have looked into that to give us some insight on what your cards and letters communicate about you, the sender. In fact this new research is going into the Journal of Happiness soon.
A North Dakota State University professor examined 1,200 cards and
letters over the past decade and tells us what behavioral dynamics he
can see in these, from creative to eccentric.
letters over the past decade and tells us what behavioral dynamics he
can see in these, from creative to eccentric.
Dr.
Ann Burnett, director of Women and Gender Studies says the holiday
letters first of all suggest what people think is really important.
Holiday letters are now coming through email and are more prolific
likely because "perhaps people feel traditional tugs at the holiday
season, so they go back to being traditional," Burnett explains.
Ann Burnett, director of Women and Gender Studies says the holiday
letters first of all suggest what people think is really important.
Holiday letters are now coming through email and are more prolific
likely because "perhaps people feel traditional tugs at the holiday
season, so they go back to being traditional," Burnett explains.
But
traditional doesn't mean paper and pencil and card stock cards.
Burnett and the post office agree, “Coupled with the expense of mailing,
I think we’ll see fewer and fewer letters.”
traditional doesn't mean paper and pencil and card stock cards.
Burnett and the post office agree, “Coupled with the expense of mailing,
I think we’ll see fewer and fewer letters.”
In
looking at holiday letters, there are certain patterns most common to
certain individuals, Burnett finds. The most common format is the
one-person-per-paragraph approach. Others look like newspapers, while
still others proceed to work creatively, adapting their outline to the
family or to a specific personality.
looking at holiday letters, there are certain patterns most common to
certain individuals, Burnett finds. The most common format is the
one-person-per-paragraph approach. Others look like newspapers, while
still others proceed to work creatively, adapting their outline to the
family or to a specific personality.
So
what do those letters contain? Burnett finds most of them have general
themes, about which family members have been sick, what they are doing,
and lots of talk about travel or big projects.
what do those letters contain? Burnett finds most of them have general
themes, about which family members have been sick, what they are doing,
and lots of talk about travel or big projects.
Some
letters will talk about events in terms of how these events impact a
given individual, namely the letter writer. Others simply list the
events themselves. The first type is an individual likely to be seeing
how fleeting life is and to assess those events in that manner.
letters will talk about events in terms of how these events impact a
given individual, namely the letter writer. Others simply list the
events themselves. The first type is an individual likely to be seeing
how fleeting life is and to assess those events in that manner.
As for Burnett, the one doing this research, she tells us not to expect
them from her much of the time, “I can’t bring myself to write a
Christmas letter anymore,”she tells us, likely the statement many of us
make this time of year.
them from her much of the time, “I can’t bring myself to write a
Christmas letter anymore,”she tells us, likely the statement many of us
make this time of year.
