Christmas cards out of fashion I wonder !

Bah humbug

Yes. Waste of money

The answer is No.. I work in the greeting card industry and we still sell the same amount now as we did 5 years ago if not more. Christmas cards are our biggest selling season followed by Mothers day.

I understand that expense can be a problem. I use second class stamps and deliver the local cards. Also I shop around for cheap cards. The cost is included in our Christmas budget. We buy quite a lot of presents but don’t spend much on food or drink so we save in that way.

I usually start off dreading Christmas,

then reluctantly, get pulled into it
not sending cards, then when I get my first ones
it does sort of set a better feeling

then get to send them at the last minute,
but yes, people, move, we lose contact for different reasons
people die even!!! I want to get back to this wonderful
"normal" some people go on about

me? I am at the stage of dreading Christmas.
It is a lonely time

I love cards - both sending and receiving. As for the cost of postage, I'll start soon and pop a book of stamps in with my weekly shopping - that way I usually have enough for the cards and some left over to use throughout the year.

I used to send lots of cards until one year I spent almost 60.00 on stamps - sadly I had to cut down after that

I love sending and receiving cards, and in fact have a storage box of new ones that I have bought when they are reduced in the new year!
Last year I posted a card through every letterbox in the street - I felt that being in lockdown, it was important that everyone knew that someone was thinking of them. Didn't get the same number back. but didn't expect to!
It's the postal costs that are prohibitive these days. I used to post cards to relatives and friends overseas every year but as it got more expensive, I sent emails instead. Not the same.

I think the cost of the postage puts a lot of people off. My husband very kindly spends about 3 hours during an afternoon the week before Christmas and hand delivers the majority of our cards within a 25 mile radius. I only post ,well it will be two this year, some of my regulars have died.
I send cards to people who will be alone and I have noticed elderly friends measure their self-worth by the number of cards they receive.

The exorbitant costs!
Combine the initial cost of the card, plus time to write in it and add the addresses, recipient and sender to the envelope, then off to the post office, very expensive postage! Especially if outside the UK. Reckon on about £4.00/card. I just can’t do that, I simply don’t have the funds.
Much easier to use Skype, do it in person.

@BlueBelle - receiving a hand painted card must make the recipient feel very special, and they are lovely ?

I love to send and receive Christmas cards ?
Though there are an increasing amount of people who say they don’t ‘do’ cards now
Or worse posting on social media they are giving to ‘charity’ instead of cards this year
Not interchangeable IMHO ?

Mine are limited to siblings and close cousin now, but I don' t always receive one back so ...

I’ve been sending (free!) e-cards to quite a few sort of peripheral folk for years now especially abroad-must have saved a fortune! Definitely sending-and receiving less.

What a lovely card, Bluebell.

That’s lovely BlueBelle.

At 85 pence for a 1st class stamp I’m not surprised people are sending fewer cards. A stamp in 1950 would cost 45p at today’s valuation but it’s nearly twice the price.

If it made you smile it’s done it’s job caleo

I used to make my own cards. Still do with birthday cards. The few I bother with.

I like it BlueBelle it made me smile.

It's lovely

This was last years one, simple but everyone seemed to like it

I like BlueBelle's idea of painting her cards. I could send for some blank card from Amazon and paint cards.

I send them to DH’s scattered family, an aged family relative, close family and friends. Still hang up those received on string in the l.room, part of our decorations!

We get fewer cards nowadays and I send fewer myself. They do cheer up the house at a dark time of year.

I always send a card to elderly people such as my mum’s 96yo cousin, along with a newsy letter. He always tells my mum on the phone that he’ll reply to my letter but I’m not holding my breath as that’s not happened once in all these years!