Christmas

Sadgrandma

Why all the agro? Fidelity2Asked a perfectly reasonable question with the price of stamps being so high.

Absolutely! Can take some people months to save for Christmas presents, which will now probably include stamps!

None. We hand deliver.

Why all the agro? Fidelity2Asked a perfectly reasonable question with the price of stamps being so high.

Not sending any in the post- money will go to Alzheimer’s. I said last year not to send us any, I will put some lovely cards up from year before. I’ve bought some beautiful hand made cards for our neighbours though.
Nothing wrong with that person asking about postage- it’s scandalous what RM charge.

I’ll be sending them to close family who live away and who I don’t see as often as I wish I could.

We’ve already cut down on acquaintances but I think a few more will be off the list this year (although some have an email address so I might send them an electronic greeting instead).

Postage is extortionate these days, so economies have to be made, as I very much doubt that Royal Mail will consider a lower Christmas postal rate for cards. They seem intent on ruining themselves, as I’m sure if they reduced the cost more people would send cards, so in effect they’d make more profit.

The trouble now though, is that people already feel postage is too high so reduce how much they send to friends and family and are unlikely to return to sending mail - (the damage is done) - but resort to other methods - email, texts, electronic greetings etc.

I’ll let you know the second week in December….

Posting about 12, we’ll be giving about 30 in total.

I gave up on cards many,many moons ago, when I didn’t send cards because my mother was dying. The following year there was a distinct drop in the number I received, so that made me think!
With social media it’s now easier to keep in touch, so I think it will soon die out altogether.
What does make me laugh is those smug posts on social media saying, ‘ We are not sending cards this year, instead we are donating to * insert name of charity here*. Now, I’m willing to bet that the donation to said charity will be in no way equal to the cost of sending dozens of cards by even second class post!
I did like a Facebook post I saw last year saying she was not sending cards, but was spending the money on gin.

I cross-stitch cards for my nearest and dearest, so have embarked on the winter birthdays and the ..er..festive season.
Sorry, posters !

I have a friend who has started C*******s gift shopping and booked her hairdresser in December already.
Some people just love it.
Cards will die out eventually like cheque books I believe.

We were at a market in a nearby small town yesterday. There’s a stall that sells jams and chutneys. The man was taking orders for Christmas cakes both iced or the cake to ice yourself. Another lady was browsing as well as me and the stall holder informed us to order ASAP as he doesn’t bake after October to let them mature. I was tempted but got too much on at the moment to contemplate Christmas .

I suppose it’s just a sign of the times.

School uniforms and ‘back to school’ being advertised before the summer holidays have even started!

Crème eggs and hot cross buns in the supermarkets before Christmas.

Summer holidays being pushed at us in early winter.

No wonder we all think time flies, the adverts have us wishing our lives away.

It’s sad, and am sure it contributes to anxiety and mental health issues.

I get that some people like to spread the cost and start buying cards & presents (& stamps!) early - but I think the mince pies will be very much out of date by the time Xmas arrives...

To answer the original question, I won't be posting as many cards this year, due to the cost. I shall send cards with the very few presents I shall be posting, using the cheapest method, which I suspect won't be Royal Mail. Also I shall hand deliver as many as I can and enjoy the exercise around town and probably drive to those a bit far to walk to. I have actually found a few postage stamps that I mislaid a couple of years ago, which will keep this year's costs down. Sorry (not sorry) but I enjoy Christmas preparations and planning. I have 3 short holidays planned before Christmas and no doubt will be buying something Christmas related when there. I bought cards in Jan this year at a very reduced amount along with some fancy Christmas Crackers, which were 75% off. There is a Facebook Group I enjoy called FlyLady Countdown to Christmas, which suggests tasks to do every day from (I think) October so that everything is done slowly and easily.

None at all as I'm an Athiest and never bother with Christmas in any shape or form!

I will send the same number of cards as I usually do( about 50 ). It is the nicest part of Christmas for me and I always put some news on them.I already have my cards as I buy them reduced after Christmas and I will buy all the stamps in the weeks to come so that by the time I send them I will have forgotten the cost.

BlueBelle

Oh stop it Fidelity 🤣
As Croistitchfan says it’s August !!!
No way am I remotely thinking about the dreaded C word

You might not be thinking about Christmas but just try getting away from it! The shops, the media and any relatives under 10 years old will dedicate themselves to going on and on and on about it.

Aaaaaargh!

Oh, and talking of the C-word, I’ve already embarked on what must be the 5th Nativity Set (they take ages) since I want the youngest Gdc to have one to take to school for their 🎄raffle, same as the elder two have had.
2 shepherds and one Wise Man down, loads more to go….

Around the same as last year, TBH, except for a a couple who’ve since died. I still like receiving them, too.

Still, I don’t think I’ll need to buy any cards, still plenty left over from previous years.

I don’t do Christmas but admit to enjoying the Christmas meal!
And pudding and mince pies are heavenly too.As the price of stamps is now extortionate I think many people will choose to re-think sending lots of cards this year, but yes😄it’s very early to think about it.

Nobody has been nasty or rude. Some of us feel very strongly that Christmas should not be an issue when it is still summer. If people need to budget so far in advance perhaps they shouldn't be spending so much on it anyway.
Most of us here are much nearer the end of our lives rather than the beginning. We should be savouring every day not constantly being rushed ahead to the next "big event"

rafichagran

BlueBelle

Nothing harsh or rude just leg pulling and horror rafiagran

Yours was Bluebelle but a couple have been condescending and nasty. Like I say I love Christmas and it starts in December but let's be tolerant and accept others views.
I was reading a Christmas thread on Mumsnet and some of the posters are starting christmas shopping now to spread the cost. I am lucky I don't have too.
One poster was very dismissive of the question.

You are accusing some of us of being condescending and nasty for expressing our personal opinions, which is nasty in itself, yet follow that by saying, ‘let’s be tolerant and accept others’ views’. You don’t see the contradiction in that?

When I worked as a volunteer in a charity shop we usually put Christmas cards out in August and there would always be customers who would be rude to volunteers in the shop, as if it was their fault.
Christmas is a huge money making racket so it will be everywhere in the shops very soon if not already. If people don’t like it they can just walk on by.

My eighteen year old granddaughter has worked one day a week at our local garden centre. Having finished her diploma in Art she is delighted to have been given extra days to help create the Christmas display. Helping to sort the Christmas cards last week she was amazed at how many people complained to her about the early preparations for Christmas as if she has any control. Some people were unnecessarily quite rude.

I already have gifts in my Christmas cupboard.

Five children and partners/wives, 8 GC, along with my sister and her family, added to this three December birthdays, I have to be organised.

I adore Christmas and the run up to it, house is decorated on 1st December, including outside and artificial trees. Real tree isn’t brought in until closer to the day

I also like Halloween, I love to see the little ones dressing up and having fun (it’s not an American thing, it started here, they just made it bigger)