Christmas cards from who?

I have been rather puzzled by some of my elderly fathers post recently, Christmas cards just signed with a First name but no other details, and sadly he’s now too frail and demented to know who these people may be, or any idea of their address or contact details to explain the reason why he has not been able to respond by sending a card in return. So sad, and has he doesn’t keep a record of these people’s contact details since my step mother passed away earlier in the year and her son totally cleared away her belongings shortly after her funeral, l have little chance of replying on his behalf, as most of these people l have never met.

That is a shame Julia. I remember going through my DM's address book after she died to see who I should be telling. It was worth doing but a bit strange. One of her old friends didn't sound very compos mentis and had difficulty knowing who I was. They were in their 90s.

We live in rural Berkshire but our mail is franked in Swindon so you need to think farther afield Grammaretto

OH! Thanks Greenfinch. I think I can guess. It's from DDiL's mum.

Brilliant ! A mystery solved. I still think it strange that our local mail has to go 60 miles there and 60 miles back before arriving. It used to go to Reading but not any more.

I got a completely blank card this morning no message, no name and no post mark. NO CLUE ??

Go on, admit it Grammeretto you're secretly related to Her Maj

Sorry should be Grammeretto

OMG ! Third try Grammaretto

Crazy isn't it Greenfinch. I remember when the Scouts did the local posting.
Oh no tanith there's a puzzle for you.
Handwriting on the envelope?
Just put it up and enjoy it.
My DS sent me a photo of my card to him , only there were 2! I had sent the same card twice. He asked me if I was going to send a card every week.

Nico97 it's taken me a while to get the connection. Liz at Windsor - of course!.

My Mum got flowers last week from Derek - a printed card inside. Correct name, address and post code on the package. She does not know anyone called Derek! We've been through telephone book, names of doctors, names of RNIB people who have helped her, council person who helped with attendance allowance, postman who helps - no not a Derek amongst them! Nice flowers!

Years ago we had a card from someone whose name we didn't recognise. We found out later who it was from, but we spent so long wondering about it we decided the following year to 'make up' a couple and send a card from them to some friends. They worked out who the card was from and the following year we got a card from the same 'made up' names. They took on a life of their own, we'd receive postcards saying they were on holiday, on a cruise, had split up, etc. They have survived about 25 years now.

We have a card this year, first class stamp, but no postmark i can find at all, the card wishes us a merry Christmas and isn't signed, i don't recognise the writing and neither does husband, its so puzzling

I have for several years had a card delivered from someone that was , I think, my mum's god daughter. (I only vaguely remember going to her wedding)
The first year,after DM had died, as she had included her address and phone number, I phoned her to say that mum had died. I left a message on her answerphone.
While I was at work, my DDad had a phone call from " someone called "P" who wanted to speak to you" Dad had no idea who she was and apparently had told them that I wasn't interested in buying anything! Rang the number back- answerphone again, so left another message. Heard nothing more so assumed the message had got across.
Each year since, have had a card addressed to my parents, despite leaving more messages, and even sending letters explaining that now both Mr and Mrs C were dead. This year, I decided to return to sender and hope that the message finally gets across!

After DS died earlier in the year I, as she had previously instructed me, informed those in her address book whose name had a red dot beside it. So of course this Christmas I am having to go through her address book and work out who has sent a card because they didn’t have a red dot beside their name. Feels a bit odd writing to people I don’t know but felt I should let them know as they might be sending cards for years otherwise.

My friend to this day doesn’t know who sent her concert tickets for her 60th birthday. She phoned me to thank me ( only first name, same as mine, on the card). On reflection, I should have taken the credit, as it was a much more extravagant gift than mine!

I had to admire our postal service last year, delivering a Christmas card with this address on it; "Our name, no surname, then the road after the big house on the left, in that road, the first house on the right" well done post man,it arrived on time too.We dont live in the UK but in a rural district in Sweden!

Swindon mail centre covers a huge area, and I know that cards sent from my area are sent via Swindon, even though I live about 50 miles away. Sadly, the Swindon stamp is no help in detecting who has sent your card.

Elaine1
Sounds mum may have a secret admirer!
Lucky mum

Elaine1, maybe your mother has a secret admirer?

This is the first year since we bought this house that we haven't received a card from "Ken & Beryl" addressed to the previous owner. No surname or return address to let them know she died in 2015 but maybe the lack of return communication means they've at last drawn their own conclusions.

Every year we get a card from a couple we met on holiday 18 years ago. We haven't sent them one for at least 16 years.
But the card we had delivered TWICE last week was for someone with totally different names from ours- a town at least 200 miles away & nothing whatsoever in common with our address at all. I wrote on in in big red letters when I put it back in the box yesterday NOT KNOWN in this road!!!
I wonder if it will come back again!

I live in Cumbria . Our post goes via Scotland !

May not live in Swindon, may just be the postal mailing centre for that part of UK. You will need to think a bit wider.