Sad to see Christmas cards going out of fashion

Happy Christmas Hetty58

Gajahgran, friends - keeping you company? I don't feel that way or display them, just leave them in a neat little pile in the hall, itching to chuck them in the paper recycling asap.

I choose what to display in my house (or not) of course.

I always send cards but I had difficulty this year with buying packs of cards. I got some in the end at the local post office.
I do send to friends and family around the world even though we keep in touch by WhatsApp and phone. Sending a card just seems a little bit special particularly at the moment when travel is difficult. I get quite a few cards and once they are put out around the house it's as if friends are keeping you company.

Still sending over 70 cards, down just a little from ten years ago, and receiving nearly the same number. Only e-card we have ever received was, understandably, from Australia. All envelopes handwritten, labour split approx. 60% DW, 40% me, which reflects her having more friends and men not exchanging cards as much.

Love that one, Chewbacca!

After reading your post I checked some recently received cards, misty34, plus our leftovers. Only one said made in China, and that was from Tesco. Most said ‘printed in the U.K.’ (no mention of card origin) and one (a charity one for diabetes) said ‘origin U.K.’

Ours were all from either the Dogs’ Trust or the RNLI this year. The DC ones say ‘environmentally responsible’ which presumably means that trees used are a crop and are automatically replaced. RNLI ones just say ‘paper from responsible sources’ which I dare say means the same.

We send only a few very local ones. Having lived abroad for 13 years we have many friends scattered worldwide, so most of ours go either overseas, or to far-flung family/friends in the U.K.

This was my favourite Dogs’ Trust one - I’m a sucker for a corny card!

This Christmas card is favourite.

I agree Bluebelle - I don't like e-cards, particularly not those cheesy Jacquie Lawson ones. I don't mind an e-mail with family news and maybe a few photos.

I know that some posters don't want to hear the Enviromental Argument but 3 million trees cut down just for Xmas cards is a lot. I have not sent any for 3 years now. It is not always easy to help the enviroment on a tight budget but this is an easy way. I still phone, facetime and e mail people at Christmas . Most people I used to send to live local anyway and I see them on a regular basis. I also noticed from the few I received they were all made in China, I don't really want to support their economy over ours. Even M&S 's cards made there.

Whoops pressed too soon I hate e-cards I feel they are impersonal with no feeing put into it

I ve made and sent 40 out and received about 30 back so far still a few days to go
I love cards they are the best part of Christmas for me

I dont send them, and I dont like them, I only give cards to my partner, son and daughter and Grandchildren.
I can't pretend to be virtuous, I think they look messy and the place is cluttered. I also dont like work cards with just your name and senders name.
I am not a Grinch. I love Christmas, have a real tree, and I will be with my partner. I will see and hear from my adult son,daughter and Grandchildren. Cards are something I dont need. I always re cycle them.

Not sent them for years and I'd rather not receive any either. Just more clutter and waste. I prefer the e cards.

It used to be a way of hearing from long lost family and friends. Now of course there’s Facebook! So yes just a couple of cards for a few elderly people who don’t do social media. ?

Doodledog has put a lot of thought into her post. It reads like a school essay, which is no bad thing and I'm sure she feels better for expressing something that she feels so strongly about.
Thank you (I think ). It wasn't meant to be an essay - I just think and type at the same time.

I don't feel particularly strongly either - I just think it's a shame when people get genuinely upset, which in turn guilt trips others into buying them. There's absolutely no harm in it, otherwise.

Sending cards at Christmas is one of my favourite things and also writing a round robin type of letter. I think I posted about 40 and hand delivered another 10 or so. We have received about 20ish at the moment which are dotted around the house and have received some lovely newsy letters from some folk who I haven't seen or heard much from since last year. It's never a burden as I start writing the cards very early and the addresses are on a database, I just press a button (or two) and address labels are printed. Doodledog has put a lot of thought into her post. It reads like a school essay, which is no bad thing and I'm sure she feels better for expressing something that she feels so strongly about. Remember the last posting day 2nd class, for Christmas is to-day and Tuesday is the last posting day for 1st class.

We send and receive about 20 each year but in days gone by we could have had anything up to 40 or more. People move away, sadly die, divorce plays it part and things just dwindle. My mum could easily get 80 in her later years so I do think it’s dying out a bit.

I think the cost of postage was the final straw for many people when it comes to the amount of cards they send. You could buy a box of 10 cards for £1, yet it would cost you £6.60 to send them second class. I now only send a very few to elderly relatives and make a donation to my favourite charities instead.

I enjoy my Christmas cards - both receiving and sending them. Like Grammaretto I look forward to the ones with a wee note on them and I usually do a line or two on the ones I send but I do think the custom is definitely dying out. I send about 25/30 cards and receive about the same some delivered through the letter box. I have a card holder on the wall and scatter family ones on various surfaces as part of my decorations. I also send couple of Countryfile calendars but the cost for postage is ridiculous. Our local scouts provided a delivery service for around half the price of a stamp and all monies went straight into their troup's funds but of course that hasn't been an option for last year or this.

I can understand what you say Doodle dog but nowadays it's more about keeping in touch at least for me it is, so I write a bit inside each one.
I love it when a handwritten fat envelope arrives and I look forward to catching up with cousins and friends. All my DC send cards to me though it will be DiL in one case. The DGC draw them

If you like them, send them. If you don’t, don’t. If you don’t send them the folk who used to send you one will soon get the message. No need to virtue signal about sending money to charity-just do it in secret.
The last few years it’s been much more relaxed for me. I print off the labels and DH writes the cards. We then add any extra wording e.g. congrats on a recent baby, or look forward to seeing you in . . .

EllanVannin

Urms mine started out at about 3 dozen years ago but over the years the poor souls have died,, but still a couple of dozen remain.

Which reminds me, my address book ( my Bible ) badly needs editing or renewing altogether with its crossed out people/ addresses and nee names, which I've been using for the past 10 years or more so I've got to a stage where I can just about make things out

I've found this too, I went through my address label files and edited quite a few. I was trying hard to squeeze them onto one sheet of 3 x 7 labels, not quite managed it and the grandchildren will be off soon so it may start to increase again.
When I had an address book I always used pencil, same as my little book of passwords, they change so often.

I don’t get Christmas cards from toy younger generation. I enjoy sending to loved ones and to people I no longer see - at least not regularly. I exchange hand written letters with them so getting those cards is spevial

Hetty58

Beswitched, it's not an 'old tradition' at all really. Cards (and trees) only became popular in Victorian times. I just send them to the older generation now. I really don't like them myself, so think it's more about the sending than receiving.

Well I meant old as in several generations deep

I still send cards and receive cards. They are cheery and it’s nice to receive them, but I certainly don’t get upset if I don’t receive one from someone, and I don’t take them off my list. There could be many reasons why they haven’t sent one.

There may come a day when the cost of postage might mean many won’t be sent, but for now, I’ll continue to do so.