Do you read people's calendars and cards?

I would never read anyone’s cards, they are private! I might look at one of my grandchildren’s cards with them to admire them but that’s all! I’d never seek out a calendar to read but sometimes might glance at my daughter’s family one if I’m standing near it. I’m not particularly interested as I usually know what’s on it anyway!

Never. It’s none of my business.

My mum's calendar was opposite the breakfast table and I one could help seeing what was written, had it not been I'd not have looked, but as my parents got very old we needed to see their calendar to help.orgsmise things, and when to next visit
I'd not look at people's cards, I might say what a pretty card and admire one, but that's about all. Often mum would show Christmas cards to me when taking them down

You learn something every single day - like most Dutch people keep their personal calendars in the bathroom??? Weird.
How did that ritual get started?

My calendar is a little leather bound book(let) that I keep in a drawer or it’s small enough to tuck in my purse if I’ll need to schedule appts. Nothing out in the open.

As for cards of any kind - while mine are not on display, I do keep them for a while before tossing - the good cards are so expensive now I do respect that someone spent good money to buy for me and send. I honor the gesture itself, before pitching.

As for mothers being snoopy - really I think that’s awful. The controlling just doesn’t stop, no matter what age.

Btw - Christmas cards are different - so beautiful and colorful. I know people who display them proudly on mantels, bookcases, taped around doorways.

Those are not personal cards per se, like the ones for illness, love or special occasions. Those are private.

My dil does this but she is from another culture and is quite outspoken. She also throws up hands in horror and asks things like what is that mark on your face? Why are you doing xyz?
Husband hides private things if she comes round.

Would not dream of it, the height of bad manners.

Not while they were in the room lol

I suppose I might, if in a house with some cards on show, say, "oh, that's a pretty card/picture" - albeit from a distance as I couldn't care in the slightest who'd written what inside.

As for calendars, wouldn't look, not interested ( and frankly these days, with wonky eyesight, I'd likely need a magnifying glass anyway!).

At Xmas, I struggle to remember who's sent which card, and that's seconds after opening them!

I couldn't careless who reads the cards and calendar on display in my home.
The current cards are Mother's Day cards from my loving family. They say lovely things about me that I would love the world to know
What's on the calendar is mundane stuff.
Secrets I keep secret.
Sorry, but if you think your life is too important to let the world know then don't display it !

Jewelle

It could be said that as they are on view they are fair game for reading, but actually NO THEY’RE NOT!

Can you tell this has hit a nerve?!

100% Jewelle So rude. They are on display - in YOUR home - for you, celebrating whatever, not for anybody to pour over, whomever they are. I realise others feel differently, but it can be embarrassing to have others read our personal stuff, imho.

Oh, it's nothing to do with thinking your life is important 😂😂

It's just about wanting what is in your own house to be for you and your family, not anyone who happens to drop in. And just because your calendar is 'mundane' doesn't mean that other people shouldn't be able to put more 'interesting' appointments on theirs without people reading them. If anything, the idea that personal comments are for 'the world' to read seems more self important than assuming that they will be private.

From the responses on this thread it seems that most people don't think it's acceptable to read calendars. They are functional items for most people, not objects of display, surely?

I think cards are slightly different. Obviously a MD card is from a child, so isn't likely to be personal, but you never know. They may contain references to private things, or apologies, or all sorts of possibilities. Similarly, people sometimes put messages or jokes in Christmas and birthday cards, that are for the recipients' eyes only. I think looking at them is one thing, but reading them is quite another, but that's just my opinion. I still wouldn't snoop into other people's cards in case it embarrassed them.

I don't remember having had anything "personal" written directly in a card. I'm sure if it was truly personal it wouldn't be on display anyway - it would more likely be a notelet type card or on separate paper so it would be treated as a letter.

I had a personal message to send to someone who was getting married recently and wrote it separately on ordinary paper and attached with a paperclip to the card. At Christmas I had a personal message on a card from a dear friend which was written on a post-it note. Obviously I took it off before displaying the card.

Who are writing personal things on birthday cards? I just wouldn't do it. It doesn't seem appropriate to me.

I wouldn’t see it as inappropriate, but then I wouldn’t expect all and sundry to read other people’s cards . I’m thinking more about jokes between couples, or memories between friends than love letters or anything explicit- just things that the recipient might not want to explain to a neighbour who thought it was ok to read it.

Similarly on a calendar people might record medical appointments which are not remotely shameful, but private. Women record period cycles etc for their own use, or they might not want a gossipy friend to know about a slimming group or an AA meeting. I guess it comes down to whether we believe that people have a right to privacy or not, and I do . I’m quite a private person.

No I don’t, it wouldn’t occur to me, I don’t know anyone who has a wall calendar, neither my family nor friends read displayed cards here either.

We had (and used) a wall calendar when we needed to co-ordinate 5 children's activities. Haven't had one since they grew up!

Ours is used only for things that we both need to know. If it's on the calendar, it means Mr D can't deny that I told him about something . Otherwise we each use our phones.

Doodledog

Ours is used only for things that we both need to know. If it's on the calendar, it means Mr D can't deny that I told him about something . Otherwise we each use our phones.

I have to do this too! If I don't and say there's something on or one of us is going somewhere, he'll turn and say 'well, it's not on the calendar' - this can be despite messages on his phone telling him when and where it is.

NotSpaghetti

We had (and used) a wall calendar when we needed to co-ordinate 5 children's activities. Haven't had one since they grew up!

Our daughters (but not our sons) were mortally offended when they’d all left home and I bought a small calendar. They demanded I got a larger one so they could continue to put their plans on it and also see what everyone else was doing. 😂

Now, we live near one daughter and provide childcare so we’re back to a biggish calendar anyway. My dd says we lead a busier life than she does.