Christmas Cards

I like displaying cards at Christmas. They make the place look cheerful and that'll be even more important for me this year. I have to make sure my dog, Charlie, can't get at them because he will eat them if given half a chance. So, I'll be buying the brightest, cheeriest cards to send and, if I don't receive very many, I might hang a few of the bought one's up!

My daughter usually sends a photo card of the two boys in their santa/elf outfits and I save those each year. I wouldn't dream of sending a photo of myself. It would be a depressing nightmare trying to find a flattering one and everyone knows who I am so they don't need a picture to identify me!

P.S. Home made Christmas cards are very special, in my opinion.

I’m heartened to see how many of you are sending Christmas greetings by email or text. It’s something I have been considering but wondered if it looked mean. I would normally buy charity cards and was considering still making a donation to the charity but sending the greetings by email and text. The cost of postage is just too much, especially with several friends and family overseas. I can only think of one person who isn’t online and I’ll send her a real card.

Problem?? Buy ordinary cards like most people do. Preferably charity cards. Or send e-cards.

I think, for me personally, I would be okay with getting cards like that from family members but not from anybody else. It could be seen as bragging a someone has suggested and not appropriate. Just send a Christmas card without anything else would be what I suggest.

I’m in favour of sending (and receiving!) cards. I wouldn’t like to see this tradition die out. It’s lovely to get post and cards can be displayed as a reminder of our family and friends all through the season. Here’s my suggestion. Buy charity cards and slip a picture inside if appropriate. Then you can select who gets a photo and avoid any mixed messages.

I don't think Nanamar was inviting judgement on whether her taste in Christmas cards is OK or utterly naff! There are some rather unnecessarily snooty comments on here!
If you always send photo cards (they're far more usual in the US, I gather) then just do so but with maybe the two of you. If you want to make light of this dreadful year, put Santa masks on or be Socially Distanced!

I make my own cards- have done for years. I made them all last week so I am prepared now.
It was a lovely way to spend a couple of afternoons & they can all be personalised for the recipients. Costs very little- it is the postage that is expensive!

I agree

I love sending and receiving Christmas cards. I have friends and relatives in other parts of the country that I rarely see and it is our way of keeping in touch. I get a lot of pleasure from displaying them and looking at them throughout the festive season. I always buy charity cards. I have never received a photo card and I wouldn’t dream of sending one myself.

I love sending and receiving Christmas cards. Many charities are struggling due to the closure of their shops but most are selling their cards on eBay. Maybe send cards from a charity of your choice and include a photo? ?

When we first went to Spain in the 70s there were no Christmas cards to be had so we had to make our own. Later with more Brits living there they were available.
In the past I used to send home made photo cards of country snow scenes or country churches. Only one person complained. She didn’t get a card from me the next year!

I make a few cards for close friends and family that know I love crafting. For the rest I buy charity cards. Cutting down this year though. A long email with a few photos will be sent to many.

Only photocard I did was of my garden one snowy morning. A rare scene in Cornwall! It was perfect for Christmas.

We all need cheering up charities need money . . Send charity cards cheer everyone up. . Lets keep as many people in jobs as possible card manufacturers paper makers shop workers and our brilliant Posties

“Missfoodlove”
That’s a great idea. Hospices are in dire need of funds. That’s where my money will be going this year.

Charity cards every time - good in so many ways. You could add a photo for any close friends or family you think would like to see it. For birthday cards, I paste, inside the card, a photo of the recipient - especially good for children, and often these cards are kept by the family. It relies on my having a good photo of course - and in the pandemic, for family I can't see in reality but do see on FaceTime, I can take photos on screen, and sometimes they are very good.

Simple answer is dont worry about the cards. Phone people instead, or email, or send Ecards. It really is not difficult. Whatever DS and DIL and DGS means I have no idea. But seriously this is simple to sort.

Just imagine if everyone did as the OP - we would all have a row of cards with other families grinning at us on our Christmas mantelpiece: truly ghastly! I love the range of season specific cards that I receive. I, like many others here, only buy charity cards and that is particularly important this year. It seems that you have the perfect opportunity, Nanamar, to give up what appears from the replies to be a very unpopular practice. Don’t look back!

Why not gather up some individual pics of the family when they were toddlers, babies or pics from teenage years ... etc - and put them together on a card. You can send all your good wishes and give them a "guess who this was" or "do you remember when"?? A bit of nostalgia and memory provoking. Looking back over old photos is always a favourite here - it is quite amazing the stories that come out that you had forgotten.

I like receiving traditional and/or humerous cards, and think that we'll need as much cheer as possible this Christmas, if covid continues to drag the world down. I dislike e-cards, they just feel like a bit of a 2nd best thing. I usually do a mix of hand-made and cards from the local charity shops, but with the latter now locked down, I am planning a few days of enjoyable lockdown distraction crafting handmade cards. Might even start on handmade birthday cards for next year, depending on whether this current lockdown gets extended like the last one.

Just had a walk on our local prom and bought my Christmas cards at the Lifeboat shop before they close for the month. They were very busy with people queuing to get in as there was a limit of 4 people in at any one time.

Sweetchile

We all need cheering up charities need money . . Send charity cards cheer everyone up. . Lets keep as many people in jobs as possible card manufacturers paper makers shop workers and our brilliant Posties

Exactly, Sweetchile. And I think it’s also good to let people know you care by making a bit of an effort.

I can’t see anything wrong with the sort of personalised card OP sends, though we’ve only had them from American friends, who obviously put a lot of thought into the photos they came up with. They’d dress up and pose especially for them and it was good to see how their young family had grown over the year. Perhaps it’s more a thing in the US?

Charity cards or just take a photo in your back garden or local park - I can't see the problem !
Or maybe recycle a holiday photo from previous years and say "Remember when?"
We are all in the same boat so surely the people that you normally send cards to would be daft expecting anything else??

Riverwalk

Christmas cards with pics of your travels? That sounds worse than the dreaded round robins!

That's what I was thinking !

Sorry, not a fan of photo cards but would gratefully accept one from the royal family as a collectors item.
What I love about gransnet is that I have a strong opinion about something e.g. I will message and email friends and donate to charity instead of cards. Then someone mentions buying charity cards helps not only the charity but the paper makers, card producers and our invaluable posties. Change of heart from me, thanks gransnetters.