Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Xmas cards 2021?

(111 Posts)
SuzieHi Wed 10-Nov-21 04:33:26

Wide awake so up in the night drinking tea & looking at gransnet- at 4.30am!
Last year we cut our Xmas card list drastically - only sent to aged/single friends & family.
Think with the Covid problems it all seemed so wasteful on paper, card, postage etc when charities were struggling so much.
We e mailed Xmas greetings to those we could & also explained we were making charity donations instead of cards. Didn’t want them to think we hadn’t just forgotten them or had run out of time! Sent a few free e cards too - to those I thought would like them.
Seems a bit sad to lose the tradition but will do the same this year.
What are other Grans doing?

CBBL Thu 11-Nov-21 18:37:10

I will still send cards this year, but as others have commented, the list gets shorter each year. People pass away, move away etc. I stop sending cards when I have had no response for three years consecutively (the response doesn't have to be a card received - just contact of any kind).
I have stopped buying cards with glitter, and always try to recycle the ones I receive.

Bignanny2 Thu 11-Nov-21 18:53:22

I still send Christmas cards. I like the idea of people knowing I’m thinking about them at Christmas. I love getting them too. Although like lots of people I get less now. Not just because we’ve lost a lot of people, but because some people just text or send e cards. I think that’s very lazy. I like to think about each person and match the card to them. I like to buy charity cards and also homemade ones from independent sellers.

DillytheGardener Thu 11-Nov-21 19:00:55

notgran I love your stickers! I’m not creative but that is actually achievable for me!

4allweknow Thu 11-Nov-21 19:03:23

I still do cards albeit a reduced amount over the years. The postage though is becoming quite a burden compared to the cost of cards.

Foxyferret Thu 11-Nov-21 19:05:41

My cards are all written ready to post. For once I’m ahead and I do enjoy sending and receiving cards.

Hetty58 Thu 11-Nov-21 19:22:13

SuzieHi, I agree about all the resources wasted and we (having a good reason) drastically cut our list down many years ago. I further reduced to about a dozen elderly friends and relatives a few years back.

Some of us really don't like cards and don't read or display them. I used to resent all the writing and posting (a real chore) - and the cost - but felt duty bound to do it every year.

JadeOlivia Thu 11-Nov-21 22:20:44

One pack.of ten charity cards does me for siblings abroad and a few friends. All part of Christmas for me.

jocork Fri 12-Nov-21 08:39:42

I still do cards, though now I've retired I won't have to do colleagues, including the ones I didn't get on with but it was expected!
I do a Christmas round robin letter too for all the people I don't see during the year. I know some people hate them but I've had a few friends say how much they look forward to mine. I try not to be too 'braggy' (is that a word?), and make it light-hearted. I get one or two that are really heavy going and much too long! My late FiL used to give details of every concert he'd sung in or attended all year!
If I have an email address I send the letter that way to save printing costs and paper, but still post a card.

Caro57 Fri 12-Nov-21 09:56:20

I cut down drastically a few years ago. Those that were ‘cut’ get an email and the money I save on cards and postage gets donated to a local charity

pat9 Fri 12-Nov-21 11:45:57

I always send Christmas cards except to people abroad - the post is so expensive. I end them e-cards. Local cards go by hand. I have 4 strips that I peg the cards I receive to and any others get stuck to my living room door with blue-tack, I usually include a round- robin letter and of course I can email this to the people abroad. I have also found the younger people don't send cards and this is disappointing because it can be the only contact you have with them.