Card Culture

Apparently, American’s are big on greeting cards, birthday cards, Christmas cards, birth announcements, thank you cards etc.  In SA we hardly send out cards any more. 

Here in SA we send out text messages from our cell phones to each other.  For all sorts of things.  For example, it didn’t even enter my mind to send out the birth announcement notification any other way than via cell phone text messages.  You set up a distribution list, type up your message and voila! Instantly every one knows. 

Today, for Christmas I got plenty of merry Christmas text messages.  I haven’t received one paper card in the mail from any SA person, we just don’t do that any more.  In fact the only cards I got were from my American friends.

I think the reason why we don’t send out cards is as a result of a combination of things.  Firstly, mobile technology and text messaging is massive (and fairly advanced if I may say so myself) here in SA, as it is in Europe (you guys don’t know what you are missing out on, it is so damn handy).  I send 200 text messages a month, and I have to restrict myself to that much.  So handy.  My mother will send me a text message saying, “am at the shop, any thing you need?”  And I will text her back with a list.  I text my brother and sister in the UK for a quick hello.  My sister in law in Tanzania, Lioness in Portugal etc.  Cheaper, better and more convenient that phoning.  I still phone, but for the quick hello’s or to do’s, nothing beats texting.

In fact I must confess to lying on the bed in the bedroom the other day and sending a text message to Marko asking him to bring me something.  His reply:  “pain in the ass”.  But he brought whatever it was I wanted.  Can’t even remember what it was.  Damn handy that texting thing.

The other reasons are probably that cards are so expensive, why pay 20 bucks on a card when you can send a text message for 60c?  Also, what do you do with the card after you have received it?  The cards are so beautiful that you don’t want to throw them away.  So you keep them in your study for a while, never look at them again until your next spring clean when you throw them all away.  Just seems an incredible waste, but then again, I am v v unromantic, and totally not a hoarder.

Lastly, the postal system here is really crap, its slow and unreliable and driven by retired Internet ibex.  Text messaging is instant gratification.

And if it wasn’t for text messaging I would never have been able to ‘chat’ to Julie while she was having her minor little birthing dilemma.

So please forgive me if I don’t send you a card.  Doesn’t mean I am not thinking of you.

However, in honour of this special Christmas day, a photo of the heavy front load I am carrying.  Please forgive the fuzzy hair do, I was lying down on the couch and my sister made me get up for the pic, she thought I looked hysterical.

  Think of this as my Christmas card to you for your amusement and public ridicule.

Comments

[Fiona]

Tertia, you are beautiful!!!! Merry Christmas from Canada.

[JuliaKB]

You look mahvelous, my dear!

[Sassimiz]

You look wonderful! Merry Xmas!

[NotBecky]

No ridicule... you look BEAUTIFUL woman....

Merry Christmas to you too.

[Bridgette]

Merry Christmas to all of you! You look beautiful!

[Abby]

That's a lot of baby in there! But you're not pregnant anywhere but in your stomach. How unfair!! Even my toes were pregnant!

Merry Christmas!

[Isabel]

You look GORGEOUS! Here's hoping that next Christmas your hair won't be combed because two little monsters are driving you insane!Happy Christmas!

[Woodys Girl]

I could care less about the paper card vs. text message debate.... just thrilled to see an updated picture! And may I say WOW! Look at that gorgeous belly! You have some big, healthy babies in there, Tertia. :-)

Thanks for this very special Christmas greeting. I can't imagine receiving anything better than this today!

Love,
Jennifer

[Mollie]

I printed it out on really heavy, glossy paper and put it in my study. It is collecting dust as we speak, and somewhere, a tree is screaming.

[KathyH]

Tertia, you're gorgeous! And that belly, wow! :)

Who needs home decorating magazines for inspiration when you've got Tertia's blog? When my condo grows up it wants to look just like Tertia's home.

[Susy]

We're all jealous. Why? Because you, pregnant, with TWINS, look THIN except for the baby pooch! And you look lovely.

In my final weeks, I was a beached whale through and through. No excuse. I had a 7 pound (roughly 3.5 kg) baby. Normal size. I was also a cranky, bedraggled little shrew to the point where the receptionist at my work told my boss "Will you force her on maternity leave already? She's a bitch!"

What a lovely, pristine belly you have. I can't wait for the announcement, via electronic transmission (I'm with you--I don't know what to do with cards anymore!)

[Jennifer in Tokyo]

You look great! I'm seeing HBIJ, how about you?

[Lioness]

Agreed, agreed, agreed and agreed. Yes, couldn't agree more, txt msg rocks! We do it as well. Then again, we're all mobile-obsessed and have a terrifying per capita amount - must be a 3rd world thingy.

And T dahling, what a gorgeous belly! Your belly kicks ass, in and out. Off to Canada I go now, more or less, will txt msg you before I leave (couldn't get roaming so will not be able to txt while away, am hyperventilating already from deprivation)(help!) [I'll email you w the info also, just want to make sure: should ANYTHING happen you can txt me at (519) 573 54 18, don't know the international code for Canada. ANYTHING AT ALL! Like you sneezing too hard. Please. Don't make me snowboard all the way there, I'll be very pissed off by the time I arrive. And will likely kill myself in the process.]

Loud chuac! (thus our smooches sound)

[Rachel]

You look amazing! Wow. I hardly ever meet people who grow as big as me :).

As an American, I love paper Christmas cards. I even like newsy-bragsy letters, and pictures of the kids and/or family pets. I put all photos and my favorite cards in a Christmas scrapbook.

[DMouse007]

You are wearing clothes!!!

Nice picture.

[kim]

Well Tertia-

You are my very best blog friend today. Everyone elso in blog land seems to have taken the day off. Not even a quick text message to the loyal multitude. You would think it was Christmas or something.

As for your belly, fantastic. You will cherish these pictures always. You look v v beautiful. 34 weeks. Wahooo!

[Amber]

Amazing that you look better in the photos where you are wearing underpants & t-shirt then fully clothed. J/K...you look great...big, but great.

[Peggy]

You look great!!

[Debe]

Text messages are HUGE amoung the teenage crowd, they send messages in class. But, adults here haven't picked it up so much, the keys are so small, how do you do it?

And...you look beautiful!

[BrendaS]

You're standing in front of a Christmas Tree? What Tree? I can't see a tree!

LOL.. ok so I do see the tree... and it's almost as beautiful as you and your big preggo belly!

[Faerie]

GROW BABIES GROW!!!!!!

[Boulder]

That has to be the merriest greeting I've seen - text or card or internet - a PREGNANT Tertia on Christmas in front of her tree.

Bliss this year. Chaotic wonder next.

Effing amazing.

xoxo

[Boulder]

And I just sent this to you in email, but inquiring minds may be wondering as I did -

what you couldn't strip down to underwear & lift up t-shirt for portrait in front of the tree for all of us?

:)

[Moxie]

Please explain to me how text messaging is faster than just calling up and talking! I totally don't get it. Especially with the grocercy store list thing--I'd just call and say I need milk, eggs, cherry tomatoes, whatever. It would take way too long to type that out on the teeny buttons of my phone.

$20 for a card? I can't even imagine that. Wow.

You look beautiful. You're almost as big as Kristine from Perpetually Pregnant.

[Gigi]

Long time lurker coming out to say: I've been reading your blog for quite some time now and I wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed it. I've learned so much from you and all that info will come very handy when I start my first IVF cycle next february. I'm so happy for you and your family you made it to 34 weeks. You look great.
I'm from Venezuela (South America) and we're very big on text messages too, my husband works for the mobile company so I get unlimited txt msgs! Last month I sent out 438...and it was a slow month :)
Merry Christmas!