Electronically yours,

We are connected. Just walking down the street we see people with one, two, maybe three cellphones/smartphones, talking away. The first may be for work, the second for personal use and the third just for style. Then there are the tablets, the laptops, the tabs, and desktops. We hear language like, “is that place wired?” “are you on Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Tumblr, a listserve,” and “do you tweet, talk, text, blog, post, chat, skype?” We hear combinations of words like, infographics, webinar, cyberspace and hyperspace. All this appears to make for a very relational world. Is that so? It could be, maybe it is, maybe it is not. Appearances as we know are very deceptive, as are modes of communication. In this fast moving world, with so much of connectivity, we can definitely add the human element to social media, thus using it to our advantage. Let’s do it this Christmas. Here are some ideas.

Blog, blog, blog: For bloggers this is a great opportunity to connect with your followers all over the world, with a personal message and insight. There is plenty of opportunity to reach out to those of similar and different mindsets.

e-Mail: Send e-cards, not only are they free, they can be customized, and are environmentally friendly. A personalized greeting will show that you have spent time on it. If you get a card from someone you have not put on your mailing list, make your card to that person more personal, it will help the relationship.

Friend, don’t unfriend: Spread the Christmas message of life on your Facebook page by sending greetings to friends and associations you might not usually send to. It helps spread the life, joy and cheer of the season.

Join a listserve: Lots of listserves are available for different needs. Join one that talks about religion and faith. It’s an enriching experience to see how others are living their faith, coping with life’s difficulties, and sharing the action of God in their lives.

Organize a webinar: Organize a seminar on the web, for your parish, friends, or guests; to discuss the impact of Christ’s birth. What a marvelous way to spread the faith. No need to hire a hall, pay money, and create expenses, all that is needed is a skype or a free conference call account, and a day, and time. Send out invites.

Personalize your webpage: For those of us, who have webpages, make the title page Christmas significant. Let there be a specific Christmas message on it. Let your identity as a Christian pour forth, and your messages shine.

Podcast: Make a movie. Be a movie producer, with your own cast, and Christmas story line. You could stream it live. What a way to get famous. Release it on December 25th.

Post a pic: Christmas is a time for family. What could be better than sending a family picture to friends and relatives, especially those with who you have not been in touch for some time? It gives great joy to see a picture of someone, especially a loved one, who is far away.

Surf and read: There is a lot of free religious literature online – the bible, reflections, daily meditations. Why not spend some time perusing those websites, and exploring reading as a life-giving and faith based activity.

Txt: Txt, “Holy Christmas” or something similar, as opposed to “Merry Christmas” to all your contacts. It retains the religious flavor of the season.

Tweet: It is not easy to post a 120 character message. It implies giving great thought to what is being sent. Twt the real essence of what Christmas means to you.

Watch a movie: Watch a themed Christmas movie, with friends, family that brings out the Christmas spirit, and the joy of the birth of Christ.

            Speed and consumerism can be detrimental to our personal lives and faith. Let us enhance our faith utilizing all that modern technology offers. Social media as an instrument of communication can help us reach far and wide. Since it is a two-way street, we can utilize it in ways that work positively, and we don’t have to worry about anyone saying that we are not in touch with our faith and spiritual selves.