Christmas cards

Sending cards is a fairly recent 'tradition', though, (for the masses) only possible in any number when we had a post office service. Now, fast becoming obsolete, I believe:

www.whychristmas.com/customs/cards.shtml

There may be evidence of somene sending a card to someone else in the 17th century but the Christmas card as we know it was introduced in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, who three year's earlier had introduced the penny post.

Now there was a canny way of increasing revenue for the post office.

I don't think that's mean, MamaCaz, I think you're just being honest.

I don't know why people they must justify not sending cards by saying they're donating to charity. Just tell the truth, that you don't want to send (or receive) cards any more!

We all exchange cards in our cul-de-sac, some of us have been here over 25 years, and still do it. It reinforces our little community and is a nice way to welcome the newcomers as well.

That's a lovely idea BlueSapphire.We live on a main road with a strip of rough ground between us and the house to the left. We only know our neighbours to the right and so only send one card in the immediate vicinity.We do send about 75 through the post though which becomes quite expensive but is well worth it if we receive some with little personal messages on them.

We do the same BlueSapphire and we also have a get together in the New Year, we all bring a plate of food and a bottle.Not far to stagger home again afterwards so it goes on for hours and we have a merry old time.

lemongrove

I buy packs of charity Christmas cards too, not from the supermarkets as packs from most of the main charities plus local charities are sold at our local library by volunteers.

Although postage is so expensive I prefer to send and appreciate receiving. I feel there are too many things to say we aren't going to bother with each other anymore. In these times when so many people only chat online with family, friends and stranger "friends" it's a shame sending cards is in the decline. (Another area where employm must be suffering terribly.)

I love the Jacquie Lawson ecards - especially the doggy ones - but then they are so much better than most.

I still send cards but fewer than before - have deleted various very far-flung people who we're almost certainly never going to see again.

I do still like receiving them - they form part of our Christmas decorations, blu-tacked to various vertical surfaces.

Of the people I know well who've stopped sending them, I strongly suspect that they just CBA - which fair enough, since writing them can turn into quite a chore. But I know very well in those cases that it's not a question of money, and they could very easily afford the charity donations as well.

It'd be refreshing if anyone in such circs. would simply say they CBA, instead of giving worthy reasons about the planet and charity donations. Though I know very well that for a lot of people it is about the cost, especially the postage.

I think its fine to not send christmas cards and use other media to wish people merry christmas, however I fail to see what your charity donation has to do with anyone else. Youre doing that for you not for them, unless you are asking them all what their chosen charities are and making individual donations. THAT is the bit that might give people the hump.

Do your charity. It is entirely separate IMO to how you chose to contact or greet people unless you are chosing a charity that is close to THEIR hearts, not yours!

Also while no cards is fine. A generic message about your chosen charity is no greeting.

Emailing/texting/calling/messaging people to wish them (specifically) merry christmas is as lovely as a card IMO. A group text/message/email is not.

I only send Christmas cards to one or two people who I know don't use a computer.

Years ago now, I started sending a e-mail Christmas letter to all our friends and family.

I frankly cannot afford to send upwards of 50 people cards when I consider what the cards and the postage cost, quite apart from the ecological consideration.

Frankly, Thomas, I think those who call you rude for not going on sending cards are the rude ones, not you.

Frankly, Thomas, I think those who call you rude for not going on sending cards are the rude ones, not you.

It can be done rudely or nicely.

A personal email is nicer than a "to...from.." card.

A group message informing everyone theyre not getting a card or any other greeting because charity : I do not count as a greeting!

The nice way to do it is to make 1:1 contact with everyone you would normally send a card to, to wish them merry christmas personally. Any number of ways.

Keep your group annoucements that you made a donation to charity

I have no problem with people not sending a Christmas card as long as they don't expect one from me. We do enjoy reading the bits of news in the ones we do receive. We have cut right back now.

I have not sent any cards yet or at all.
I am finding Christmas hard work .
OH is of little help.
The postage is quite expensive, not that I cannot afford it. But it seems to have got out of hand.

My husband has lots of inlaws. Very nice but why do we keep doing this.
I have very few.

Just a thought - seen on Twitter

ON WRITING CHRISTMAS CARDS

Just seen your latest
Facebook post,

the one on how
you plan to vote.

I’ve crossed you out.
You’re off my list.

I’ll save that stamp.
You won’t be missed.

I'm sending charity Christmas cards this year supporting the hospice who cared for DD at the end of her life. Top of my list are all the people who messaged us last year to say they CBA would no longer be sending cards but donating to charity instead.

She would be offering to lick the stamps

I like to send and receive cards and dislike e-cards. I always buy charity cards and after Christmas take cards to Cobalt Breast Cancer unit for recycling.

Sod em

I love to send and receive Xmas cards

I've reluctantly decided to allow my Jacquie Lawson subs to lapse this Christmas. It really isn't very much but as prices continue to rise and my pensions doesn't I have to pare down and this is on the 'want' rather than the 'need' list.

I'm just wondering why anyone would think you rude Thomas67 for sending a chatty e-mail?

Seems to me that sending cards (or not) and giving to charity is you choice and should be respected.

Mind you, I once had a friend with 4 children and her only-at-Christmas bulk mailing to friends, was so unbelievably smug, you had to wonder what she was covering up!

Genius children winning multiple accolades across all disciplines. A rich, successful husband jetting off here and there; and herself on every committee in their village which she seemed to run single handedly, winning much praise for doing so.

I got heartily sick of her.

pensions plural? I wish.