Yes glamanana and there have been people sacked or made redundant by text. I think it's all to do with good manners – which, I reckon, are timeless.
My daughter always e-mails to let me know that grana's goody box has arrived. When the time comes to open the presents, the children either talk to me on the telephone or draw pictures to post to me or both. My eldest grandson (nine) recently had a 30-minute conversation about the series of books I have been sending him discussing our favourite characters and what he thought the outcome of the stories would be (I had already all them, so I knew).
I wrote a "peom" to thank my daughter and her family for presents sent for Mr absent's and my birthdays (four days apart). I think she particularly liked the bit the went:
My knees felt quite weak
Seeing earrings so chic.
I'll wear them with pride
And put one on each side.
Appreciating other people's thoughtfulness, kindness and simply bothering, whether it's buying a book they think you will enjoy or cooking a meal to share with you, is hugely important.