Christmas cards

I bought my cards this morning. A pack of six, 4 for family and two for my good neighbours. Thats it, no stamps needed. I really don`t care for christmas cards and have decided I will no longer return cards to people who send, just because I am on their list. My real friends know that I would rather give to charity than send cards

Oh dear, I like the tradition of sending cards at Christmas. I have culled my list year by year though and most of mine include a note (NOT a round robin!). I like keeping in touch with people but I do agree that the cost is prohibitive.

MissAdventure
For a minute I thought it was just me.

Witzend

Must say I do really like some of the Jacquie Lawson Christmas e-cards - especially the very first - the Christmas Cottage, and the ones with the dogs making a snowman, etc. Yes, very corny, but if you can’t be corny at Christmas….

I still send proper cards to nearly all our list, though.

Witzend the annual fee doesn’t just cover Christmas e-cards. It also includes birthday cards, thank you cards, congratulations cards etc so does represent good value. I like the dog ones too.
Dh uses JL for his work cards as he works from home and only has email addresses. Our company pays the subscription.

I like sending and receiving cards ……..

I love Christmas cards. I love sending them, and I love receiving them. Not many people send them anymore. It's such a shame, imo. I love all the glittery, moonlight on the snow scenes. I love all the Nativity ones especially. One year, when I was about 10 or 11, my mom and I painted watercolor Christmas cards to send. I'll always remember that. It was so much fun.

I just checked and a first class stamp is now 95 p and second class 68 p. Now how did that happen.

silverlining48

An old school friend sends a Jackie Lawson ecard always similar, with cottages, birds carrying ribbons flowers etc. Nearly didn’t bother opening it last time but did in the end out of politeness, but it was so twee and rather resented the time spent watching yet more little birds.
Good idea about a note in this year’s cards.
Though it’s probably the only time I receive anything personal in the post.....will have a think about it.

I usually get one of those for Christmas and Birthday, twee, yes they sure are.
I like real cards and I send loads, some need postage the rest hand delivered.I like keeping in touch with old friends and neighbours even if they’re scattered all round the country and may not see them again.Apart from about four, I will see them again.

happycatholicwife1

I love Christmas cards. I love sending them, and I love receiving them. Not many people send them anymore. It's such a shame, imo. I love all the glittery, moonlight on the snow scenes. I love all the Nativity ones especially. One year, when I was about 10 or 11, my mom and I painted watercolor Christmas cards to send. I'll always remember that. It was so much fun.

👍🏻

I have always found buying, writing and sending cards a chore. Sadly my DH died 4 months ago and I have told as many people as possible that I will not be sending cards this year as its too sad for me to just write my own name and sad for me to receive cards just to me. Also it has become so expensive for everyone,
I have just bought 3, one for my granddaughter one for son and one for daughter and son in law.

I love Christmas cards too - it's a pricey business for sure as our family is huge, and we regularly keep in touch. Where I can I send one big envelope with as many cards in as possible and get them hand delivered by the recipient to anyone nearby. Part of the family is in South Wales, part in the Borders round Melrose, and a few outposts in NZ, Sussex, NE and Dorset. A few years ago I made my own cards with some photos taken of our neighbours' snow men, snow women and snow dogs taken the year before. With photo shop I was able to create about six different designs from the same photos and personalize the messages inside. Great fun.

Silverlining you're right! I asked Alexa this time - Google wasn't as clear - neither is the Royal Mail site - sneaky. How - & when did that happen!

Yes, 95p for first class now. I bought one recently!

I am drastically cutting down on cards posted.

I send about 3 dozen cards and also do the "Christmas Letter". I have done these since the children were small and the year I stopped them because the children were young adults, I got messages some directly some through other people asking if everything was ok, so I have continued sending them just so everyone knows all is fine. I get a few letters also and notes on cards saying they are looking forward to it. I'm sure some folk throw them away unread. This year apart from special ones for family members I bought no cards and decided to use all that I had left over from previous years. I probably also have enough for Christmas 2023. I also checked around the house in writing cases, the Christmas card box as well as the desk and found enough stamps for this year's cards. I have sent the rest off to be changed for the new barcoded ones and shall probably buy a few stamps during the year to put with the Christmas cards to spread the cost. I also give to our chosen charities as I am able to do both despite our modest incomes as I often respond on Facebook when people put up the meme saying they aren't sending cards they are giving to Charity instead!

I do try to write my cards early, so 2nd class stamps are fine - at least for the U.K. ones.

notgran, one (related) older couple I know stopped sending cards several years ago, saying they were giving the money to charity instead. Which I am sure they do, but they have no children and plenty of money (I do know this) so I’m sure they could easily do both.

Truth is, I’m sure, that they just can’t be bothered - admittedly writing cards can seem like a chore - my dh hates doing the few he has to do and puts it off until far too late.

If people just can’t be bothered, fair enough, but I don’t see why they can’t say so, instead of turning it into a sort of virtue-signalling and saving-the-planet thing.

Before anyone lays into me, yes, I’m very well aware that for many people who’ve stopped sending, it’s purely down to the soaring cost. But I wasn’t referring to such people.

I've decided to cull this year. People I haven't seen or heard of for years other than a Christmas card off the list. I have devised a newsy email I will send to all these people I have an email address for, if I don't then hard luck.

I still send cards to family, close friends (posted 10 today) half a dozen neighbours, the Postie, the Librarian and my hairdresser. I love to receive cards.

I think Jackie Lawson are ok for some friends,( you know your friends) others get emails or Facebook greetings.
We donate extra to charities in Dec. We still send cards to elderly relatives and those who live alone.
Does seem sad to be the end of a card era, but really a great waste of money and resources on the whole.

Will definitely send to anyone housebound, elderly or living alone as well as very close family. It’s a little moment of joy to receive a card! I too love old fashioned scenes with glitter (the devil’s spawn as my son calls glitter)

Won’t bother with the younger generation and I printed off a painting I did of an angel and fixed the copies on to blank cards I receive as presents, family knowing I make cards.

I have sent my second lot of cards which I love sending and receiving. However I will not send them to people who make the excuse they are giving money to charity or just send emails. It's once year it's worth the expense well it is to me anyway. I give to charities all year and send cards at Christmas it's a tradition I like.

I love cards ….giving and receiving
I make most ….the numbers are going down as friends/ relations die and I also don’t want to send to people just for the sake of it so I m a bit more picky
I know it may be dying off but I don’t want it to
You can’t put e-cards on the wall or mantle shelf

We still send quite a lot, though the number drops each year. I don’t post a card to anyone I actually see. Most are old friends of yesteryear and I write a few lines. I can’t see the point in a card with just a name in. I do send quite a few by email, though I make my own, a newsy letter with photos, I don’t use commercial ones. I tailor each one to the individual. I hate getting ones addressed to “ Dear Friends.”
DH sends to his old friends and relatives and often leaves it so late that he has to put a first class stamp on.

Daisymae

Most people cut back at some point and 150 does seem excessive unless it's a business. Apart from family I would ditch people that you never see and just email the others with your plans to reduce the number of cards.

Here in Germany, cards are not really a 'thing' except perhaps for businesses. You certainly wouldn't send/give cards to people you see regularly, just send them to those who live further away. When I send them to Germans, I usually get a very surprised phone call in reply, often resulting in a long friendly chat.

Those who send e mails to us, we print out, but they are awkward to hang on the string where we display our cards and make it look very untidy.

I stopped sending cards back in the 1970s and must have saved a fortune over the years. I send e-cards to my regular customers for my business as they are all abroad. Works for me.