This isn't the idiotic puzzlement created by Bill O'Reilly and his phoney war on Christmas with "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas," whether it's said in person or in a greeting card.
No, this is about the notes we write inside Christmas/holiday cards to personalize them.
I began to think about those must-do holiday greetings that have gift cards inserted in them for the people who provide services for us everyday or every week.
Christmas time is the perfect time to remember them and say thank you for a year's worth of service.
The conundrum began when I thought about what might happen if I said what I really wanted to. It could backfire like three wishes granted by a genie gone wrong.
If I give the newspaper delivery guy a McDonald's gift certificate
with a note thanking him for no longer throwing the paper under the car in the driveway, will he start doing it again?
Conversely, if I thank the mailman for delivering all those crappy ads and catalogues that go directly from mailbox to blue recycle bin, will he -- please! please! please! -- stop delivering them?
Thank goodness I don't have a gardener; I'd be honor-bound to thank him for the wonderful job he does keeping the lawn and garden weed-free.
If I did that, he'd probably pull a Morticia Addams, and let the weeds take over and nip the flowers in the bud.
