Gary Brown: SV TM THS XMS -- TXT M NSTD
In the spirit of a modern, more high-tech and low-time, holiday celebration, I'm thinking of text messaging a joyful wish to everyone to whom I used to send time-consuming Christmas cards: "MRY XMS."
Hit "SEND" and my best Christmas wishes can be gone in a split second -- simultaneously delivered to dozens of cell-phone recipients throughout the country.
It takes days and many books of stamps and thousands of mail carrier steps to accomplish the same holiday task with snail mail.
"PC N RTH N GDWL 2 MN" I can add in the message.
It's amazing how much of the traditional Christmas message you still can get across in our fast-paced world without using vowels.
"HV HPY NY 2!"
Just one bit of advice. I've found it helps to restore at least some of the Christmas spirit if you all program "Silent Night" or "Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem" in as your ring tones.
Matter of music
Christmas carols, of course, are an important holiday tradition for all of us. But listening to them can also be made more efficient.
Personally, I seldom tune to Christmas music being played continuously on radio stations. No need, I get enough Christmas atmosphere these holidays -- with far less time wasted -- by listening to Christmas carols played during electronics store commercials.
Besides, right now I'm too busy to listen to radio carols while I'm driving.
I'm halfway into listening to the books-on-disk version of "A Christmas Carol."
Holiday in haste
Indeed, the Christmas season seems to have speeded up.
We can TiVo our Christmas specials.
No need to take our children to the shopping mall to visit Santa when they can see if they're on the "Naughty or Nice List" at www.northpole.com.
And what about that inconvenient family or office gift exchange? I'm thinking way beyond gift cards. I'm considering direct cash transfers to the checking accounts of friends and family -- with official and meaningful electronic bank notification.
I can do it by cell phone, right after I send my holiday text messages.
Granted, none of my cell-phone message "favorites" will have cards to hold in their hands or collect in shoeboxes so they'll know who to send cards to next year.
But they can save the message and refer to it throughout the holiday.
Perhaps they can reply with their own holiday cheer.
"2 GRNCH THT STL XMS ..."
And if they want some artwork to illustrate the season in the manner of Christmas-card images, I can use my cell phone to message everybody a follow-up picture of me wearing reindeer antlers.
"RDLPH," the accompanying test message might read, apparently got just a little "2 MRY."
Reach Canton Repository Living Section Editor Gary Brown at (330) 580-8303 or
e-mail: gary.brown@cantonrep.com