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Family Greetings cards

(105 Posts)
DanniRae Sat 05-Oct-19 17:52:29

Running out of storage space I have spent all afternoon sorting through and getting rid of all my Adult children's greeting cards to me through the years - Birthday Cards......Christmas Cards......Mother's Day Cards.
It was a difficult decision but, realistically, whose going to interested in them when I am gone?
Has anyone else saved all their children's cards to them?

nipsmum Sun 06-Oct-19 11:29:26

I have just read this post. I have 2 small drawers in the table full of old greetings cards. I Wii put them in the bin as soon as I have finished posting this. They are no use to anyone. My daughters are not sentimental and certainly won't want to look at them when I'm gone. I would say get rid of them they are of no interest to the modern generation, who probably don't know the people who sent them in the first place. Go , do it now.

GabriellaG54 Sun 06-Oct-19 11:35:56

I keep the ones from my children up until they married.
If I threw the cards away it would feel as if I was discarding a part of them and their care in making/choosing them.
Some of them are beautiful with hand drawn pictures depicting events in our lives or things I like.
No...I could never part with any of them, not for any amount of money.

gilld69 Sun 06-Oct-19 11:38:11

I keep them and those off my grandkids my hubby and my parents . I l8ve coming across them , when im gone they can bin them but they still bring me joy x

Anthea1948 Sun 06-Oct-19 11:38:37

When we downsized a few years ago, I had to get rid of a lot of cards, but I still have some in scrap books, even though I know they'll be thrown away when I go, and I have no problem with that. I've told our daughter that just because some items mattered to me I know she won't have the same attachment and she's free to get rid of everything without feeling guilty. But I still get pleasure from browsing through those scrap books of cards occasionally, so they're staying.

Zsarina Sun 06-Oct-19 11:46:42

Schools would be glad of them ..Especially the pictures

TashHag Sun 06-Oct-19 11:48:48

Today 09:57 CarlyD7

Can I PLEAD with you to tackle this now and not to leave it for others to sort? ... The whole task took me well over a week (not to mention the tears shed when I was going through them and couldn't stop myself reading the messages) and it was so tiring... etc

I’ve enjoyed looking at old cards and letters left by loved ones. It only takes a minute to throw what you don’t want to sort when you’ve had enough, or if you don’t want to look at all. No need for all this pleading and hand wringing. Jeez.

Nanny41 Sun 06-Oct-19 11:59:05

I have saved my Wedding cards, my 21st Birthday cards,Birthday cards when my children were born, but apart from that I have telegrams my mum saved, when I was born, thats going a long way back,I think my Daughter will apreciate them, the others will be re cycled I hope!

Jillybird Sun 06-Oct-19 11:59:15

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jane10 Sun 06-Oct-19 11:59:28

There are some I can't part with. Just birthday/anniversary/Christmas cards with signatures only I can happily chuck but longer, more personal ones or hand drawn ones I really can't bring myself to.
Clearing my parents' house, I found the letters and cards sent after Dad died. They were absolutely beautiful. People, family and patients wrote such lovely letters of their memories of Dad that I couldn't possibly throw them out. Somehow they were so personal. I can't explain how it makes me feel. I'm looking at the bulging file they're in now!

polnan Sun 06-Oct-19 12:14:48

all those poor trees....

knspol Sun 06-Oct-19 12:17:00

Always kept all cards etc from DS going back to things he made at school but then on one house move some boxes went astray and one of them contained the cards. I was heartbroken at the time but since then I have regularly cleared out the new pile. Like you say who would want them when I'm gone?

Scentia Sun 06-Oct-19 12:17:27

I keep them all. When my FiL moved into a NZh last year we cleared his stuff and found piles of cards his late wife had saved from the children and GC it was so lovey reading them to my FiL and he was welling up at some cards from his late wife. I said “shall we keep them in a box for you to look at FiL?” He looked at me and said “No, bin ‘um, I can’t be doing with clutter!!!” I have them alongside mine now for my DD to sort when I’m gone???

Bonnibiker795 Sun 06-Oct-19 12:19:47

bin them all they've don there job now recycle them

jaylucy Sun 06-Oct-19 12:21:08

I think I have all of my Mothers Day cards, especially the ones that he made me when he was little. I also kept all of the cards that were sent when he was born and put them in a scrapbook. Many of those that sent them are no longer with us so the messages are very special as he was my 3rd time lucky baby - I lost 2 before him.
Christmas cards go for recycling as do birthday cards.

fizzers Sun 06-Oct-19 12:53:29

I have kept a lot of things, not just cards but other 'sentimental' bits and pieces, but after my mother passed away at Christmas time we had to clear her old house ( it was council and they wanted it back!) very quickly, the amount of junk she had collected was horrendous, every bill she had even gotten from the year dot! I swore blind my daughter would never have to go through what we did, so am sorting stuff bit by bit and getting rid

Pollyanna2 Sun 06-Oct-19 13:03:44

I needed the space so sorted through a great pile of cards I'd kept over the years. Got rid of a lot but kept some gems and made a couple of large collages with them.

Bugbabe2019 Sun 06-Oct-19 13:16:53

I keep one or two special ones and a few of the things they made in school. I’ve binned the rest!

newnanny Sun 06-Oct-19 13:19:25

I keep the most recent cards from husband and children. Each year I get a new one I throw away the card form previous year. I also still have the last birthday card my Mum sent to me before she died which I actually put up with my other cards on each birthday.

glammanana Sun 06-Oct-19 14:13:05

I have kept all the cards from when my DCs where born along with their nametags/wedding cards and special anniversary cards.
Usually I keep birthday cards up for a week or so then throw them away unless they are handmade from my DGs such as I received this year from my little GGD aged 3yrs.

grandtanteJE65 Sun 06-Oct-19 14:13:41

I used to keep that sort of thing, but last time we moved I destroyed them, realising that I never looked at them, no-one will want them after my death, and honestly, I don't care for the thought of strangers going through that sort of thing.

The messages that meant something are stored in our memories, after all.

Mapleleaf Sun 06-Oct-19 14:15:01

I've got maybe 4 or 5 sentimental ones, but otherwise, out they go. With regards to other items, I'm not the best at de-cluttering generally, but every so often, I'll have a purge, and feel so much better for doing so! ?

Llamedos13 Sun 06-Oct-19 14:22:36

I keep the cards that made me double over laughing,( you know who you are Edinburgh sister!)

I’ll occasionally look at them and laugh all over again.?

Cabbie21 Sun 06-Oct-19 14:46:31

I had to get rid of a lot when we moved, and from time to time I get rid of a bit more, but I still have some of the more special ones, especially those sent when my parents died, those my children and grandchildren made me etc.
I am on the verge of another big clear out as I move my stuff into the small bedroom. What doesn’t fit will have to go. Sad, but realistic, as I know my children will just chuck everything away.

Incidentally , cards with glitter on should not go in the recycling!
.

Saggi Sun 06-Oct-19 15:35:34

Two days max.....then bin. Have kept the last one my mum sent me....can’t seem to bin that one yet! It’s been 12 years.

trendygran Sun 06-Oct-19 15:44:19

I keep cards for a year ,whatever they are and then recycle them. I don’t have room to hang on to them ,since having to downsize after losing my DH ,which happens to be 11 years today.