Cards and 75p 2nd class stamps

I’m in the enjoy receiving and will still send camp.

ExDancer, you assume that 'we' pay £1.50 - when, in fact, here we gave up sending cards many years ago. They're a waste of effort and environmentally unfriendly. Younger family members didn't want them.

I did keep sending cards to a few (very) elderly aunts, back then - not wanting to cause any upset, but now they're gone and times move on.

Last year there were postal strikes and I must admit to sending a few less than normal to people I had lost contact with. Normally I send about twenty odd by post and then hand deliver others to neighbours or close relatives.

Grannynannywanny

I drastically cut my Christmas card list 2 years ago . I now only send physical cards to a few very elderly friends. The rest are sent on WhatsApp. I have a nice little selection of Christmas scenes to go with the message such as the one I’ve attached.

I posted a new baby card to Ireland this morning. The stamp cost £2.20. I have relations and friends at 15 different addresses in Ireland. At those prices it will definitely be Whatsapp Christmas messages for them !

Could you not send as a bundle or 2, and ask friends and family to hand them out for you?
I used to do that with relatives far away, knowing they all mingled plenty so would received their cards!

Bluebelle
I'm with you, I love to display cards!

I love to receive Christmas cards especially my first one it’s a personal favourite. Even if I don’t see someone receiving a card means a lot to me. The last few years though a few people have informed us they don’t send cards now but give to charity. I am generous giving to charities all year around I don't just give money or donations at Christmas.

I shop for cards and stamps as it’s a tradition I enjoy and it’s only once a year I decided those who don’t send cards are now off my list. I don’t like to get an email instead of a card it does not impress me one bit.
I know it’s very commercial time of year but a card might be the only communication some people get at Christmas time. I will keep sending to those who send them to me the price of postage won’t put me off.

Could you not send as a bundle or 2, and ask friends and family to hand them out for you?
I used to do that with relatives far away, knowing they all mingled plenty so would received their cards!

Unfortunately that wouldn’t help Ali08 as postage for the overseas cards is determined by weight. I sent a card by airmail last week and attempted to buy the stamp in advance. I was refused the stamp and told they needed to weigh the actual card.

I do like to receive cards as well as send them out but as most people I know are on Facebook - I am considering the posts that people put out as a blanket message saying that they are supporting a charity rather than sending out cards.
We have recently adopted a kitten and therefore been made very aware that many of the smaller rescue charities are desperate for donations - I feel the postage money would be better sent to one of these.
The work these people do is nothing short of amazing and is non-stop. One charity has recently had to block all further rescues simply because they do not have the space, fosterers or cash to help any further kitties. It really is a sad state of affairs.

I put letters in with quite a few of my cards which is something you can’t do with the electronic ones. I do use the latter though for those who don’t wet a letter. I already pay a lot extra for cards advertising my favourite charity to give them publicity as well as money from card sales.

Most of my family and friends who live abroad will get WhatsApp messages - my 3 children who live nearby will get cards - neighbours will still cards.

I'm another who will send some.
I like receiving them.
I want to keep the Royal Mail going
Maybe fewer abroad
I wish they didn't cost so much. Cards themselves are cheaper than postage which seems wrong somehow.

BlueBelle

I hate email cards you can’t hang them u and decorate the room
I ll still send them

I agree, and hope I'll receive some too.

Any gifts I post to family with contain their card.
I think many people want to stop cards. Perhaps I'll hand deliver the usual and wait until I receive a card in the post and then post one in return. Does than sound mean?

I found in DH’s desk enough new Christmas cards to last me the rest of my life, given that I send fewer each year. I do like sending ( and receiving them ) to the many friends of yesteryear.
I do send emails to some, but they are long newsy letters, tailor- made for each person, though some text is repeated for all recipients.
This year I will be sending to some people for the last time, especially to some of DH’s friends, to thank them for their condolences earlier this year.
I blutack my cards to the inner glass door of the porch, apart from family ones which go on the mantlepiece. My local family don’t do cards, but those who live at a distance do.

Christmas isn’t Christmas without the sending and receiving of cards. I remember the days when there were so many it was hard to know where to display them all. Now their numbers are dwindling because so many loved ones are longer here. That makes the ones that plop on the door mat even more special.

I can understand if somebody says they can no longer afford to send them but the, ‘We’re donating to charity instead,’ always makes me think, Oh yeah?

🤔

Now their numbers are dwindling because so many loved ones are longer here.

It's really quite depressing going through the Christmas card list and crossing off names, so yes, we'll be sending them to family and friends while we still can.

I love cards - Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without them, in my opinion. Writing them and delivering them’s all part of the build up to the big day, and they’re an essential part of the decorations round here. We always buy charity cards. Our family and friends must feel the same, as we send and receive as many as we ever did.. We don’t have to post that many, really - yes, it’s expensive, but Royal Mail, like all other businesses, needs the support. E-cards were a bit of a novelty when they first appeared, but I really don’t like them now.

I still like sending and receiving cards.
I have cut down over the years and now even more because of the postage.
But a few don't break the bank and I know some people who are really happy to get a card. There's a lot of loneliness amongst older people and just being thought of with a card cheers them up .

Another card sender here, although numbers have dropped a little, we still get enough to cover most of the hall. I love the bundle of cards coming in on the days we get post in December, and send mine at the beginning of December to make sure they get to the recipients in time, our post is very unreliable. There are people who live far away that we still care about, and like to exchange news with.

If you don't want to send cards any more, that's fine, but I would rather not get the mass email 'we are giving to charity this year instead', not giving me any choice in the matter. I see cards as mini presents, chosen with care and with loving messages inside. I wouldn't say to someone 'I know I usually bring you flowers, but have decided to give the money to charity instead' it would imply I couldn't be bothered. But each to their own, it would be dreadful if we all thought the same!

I'm with the card-senders. Christmas wouldn't be the same without cards for me and I hope they never go completely. WhatsApp messages just are not the same!

Many moons ago my mother was dying, so sending cards was the last thing on my mind. Then the following year I noticed that I was receiving far fewer cards, and this made me realise that there were a lot of folk who wouldn’t send if they don’t get one back, so I didn’t send any again, and haven’t since. Friends who are far away always get a festive phone call.

I think we have to move with the times. Even though I make cards myself, I now send e cards to folk that don’t live nearby.

I would be grateful of an e card or whats app message.

It’s the thought that counts.

We've just ordered 60 charity cards. Some will be for friends and family and will be given to them at some time prior to Christmas. Some will be delivered by the scouts in the village and about half will be posted.

As well as the joy of sending and receiving cards, we have provided funds for a charity and the village scouts, employment for the people making the cards and continued a tradition.

I will continue to send cards and have already bought charity ones, MrJ’s family are mainly in Ireland, a couple in England; my 90 year old uncle and my siblings.
Friends I’ll give to as we meet up and immediate family have personal cards, I like to hang the ones we receive up around the walls.

I’ll send some but will be cutting back.