Last week I asked you whether any of you send Christmas cards or little gifties to your editors. More importantly, I wanted to know editors' views on the receiving of holiday greetings and presents from freelancers. And guess what: by and large, you can save your stamps.

"No gifts, please. Cards with appreciative sentiments are nice, but not necessary. That is, I don't keep a mental list noting that so-and-so sent me/didn't send me a Christmas card this year," says Maria Mooshil at the Chicago Tribune.

"It's nice if someone does it, but I don't judge anyone who doesn't (nor would I really give favor to someone who does... )," says Melissa Walker, freelance writer and senior features editor at ElleGirl.

However, some editors are delighted by it. "I was just treated to lunch by a writer who has done a ton of work for me this year. She also threw in a bottle of Irish cream in a collectible tin. I know there's a theory that some editors feel bribed by this sort of gesture. I am not one of them. It was a gift and I graciously accepted it. Plus it shows me that this writer cares about her craft and the people she works with," says Shel Zolkewich, editor and freelance writer in Winnipeg. "I don't keep track of who sends gifts and cards and who doesn't. I know that some people just aren't into it and that's okay. But this idea of keeping in touch really goes beyond the holiday season. Writers who keep in touch generally get assignments. All of a sudden I need a story on Fun in the Snow. I was just chatting with Doreen who told me she sold a story to So And So magazine about dog sledding. I bet Doreen could put something together for me.

"As an editor, I don't send cards to my writers during the holidays. I send a group e-mail thanking everyone for making me look like a star throughout the year. Then I make a donation to our local food bank in lieu of cards. Many folks in the creative business in this neck of the woods do the same thing.

"Now I'll put on my freelance writer's hat. I do send gifts to my editors and clients. For example, I just sent a ring of venison garlic sausage and hot mustard to the boys at Toro magazine in Toronto (yes of course there's a story behind that one)."

So, freelancers, it sounds like if you adore your editors and the mood comes to you, show them that you appreciate them. But saving your Christmas cards for your friends and family is not likely to get you on a black list. Just make sure you do keep in touch the rest of the year.