Last card for Christmas?

My "list" (except for neighbours, which is 4 cards) is only 22: friends I done want to lose touch with and my generation relatives, and my sibs as we don't do presents.

Not a great Christmas fan but I really like keeping in touch this way, get little snippets of headline news. btw, these are people I'm not online with nor have phone numbers for tho 3 are on Facebook. The personal touch really still counts for me.

Quite a few cards I get back have label printed addresses then hand signed so they have got a lot more organised than me!

I'm not stopping either; last year I got and sent around 30. I would understand though if my friends in the UK changed over to sending e-mails, as I have seen how the cost of postage has rocketed recently over there.

As for presents: please think twice about sending presents to friends and family in Europe. My DS2 had to pay €14 to collect a gift that my sister sent for their new baby. Not only are the recipients charged for Customs but the Post Office charges a further €7 on average for handling. Last Christmas I think DS1 had to pay €29 to pick up a gift from my sister, who had already paid the same for postage at the UK end as the presents themselves had cost.

I have had some lovely messages from people I haven't seen for ages, thanking me for my card and asking to meet up for coffee, which means a lot!

I’m sending cards as usual this year. I will deliver as many as possible. With some people it’s the only contact we have all year due to the distance between us. Yes there’s the cost to consider. I no longer send cards to close family as I’ll be fortunate to see them at Christmas. I buy charity cards and cut down a bit on the other donations I make. For me this is an essential part of this time of year and I will cut down on some of the food purchases as we’re both dieting!

I think giving/ sending cards to people you see regularly is a bit pointless. I hate it in choirs when you see someone giving out cards to half a dozen other people - it feels as though they don't want to be friends with me.
Most of my cards go to friends and family who live away. We haven’t seen them for years and this is a way of keeping in touch. For many I do a letter on the computer, tailor made for each one, but with a common core of text and photos. If possible I send it by email. I don't do commercial e- cards.

I shall be thinking carefully about my list. If all I ever hear is just a card with a signature and no news, it seems pointless and time to stop.

This year my cousin just put on social media

"We are not sending cards this year, but making a donation to a local charity". She also Whats Apped all family members.

Online cards for me-Marie Curie. Their e-cards are lovely and I’ve always supported them as they were so supportive when our Mum died years ago. I send/deliver a few cards to folk I know (mostly elderly) who don’t have the internet. We’ve received two e-card/newsletters so far from friends.

BlueBelle lovely sentiments and I totally agree with you.
Except I’m not clever enough to make my own cards. 🎄

Hooray I m not alone it feels cold and unloving I don’t want to hear about your charity giving, we probably all give more at Christmas we don’t need to tell others
It’s so cheering to see an envelope on the mat it’s so rare, don’t even get bills now, they re all online
I hang them all up with little pegs and I can sit across the room and see them and know that Jean or John or Mary thought of me at that moment they bother to sit down and write that card to me I can see all the different characters coming out I know who will send me quirky cards or religious cards or comical cards or home made cards I love them
Two of my grandkids send me and their mum cards the rest dont but I send to all of them
Online cards are cold with no character and no link to me

I shall always make and send my cards

BlueBelle I am with you. I love sending and receiving cards, it is so good to know that people I love are still alive! I have to confess I hate getting emails sent to everyone saying 'we are not sending cards this year, but giving the money to charity'. I know for some it is well meant, but it smacks of 'I can't be bothered with it all'. I give to charities anyway at Christmas, the ones I choose, and I don't really want someone giving the cost of a card to another one on my behalf.

I know as we get older it does become a bit of a bother, I would much rather someone was honest and admitted they couldn't face it any more, but it would be good to hear from them somehow.

BlueBelle

Oh such a shame the only part of Christmas I enjoy is getting and making / sending cards I love seeing them all thankfully everyone on my list all seems to feel the same as I still get them every year

Same here BlueBelle I love receiving cards it's a real link with friends and family.
The younger members of my family don't normally send cards but make an exception for me as they know how I enjoy them.

I will be wishing most of my friends via email or social media. Neighbours will get cards and ofcourse, immediate family. That’s it - done !

Yes, I'll be putting a message in lots of cards saying if they let me have an email address they will go on next year's list for a virtual card. People I have an email for are getting (this year) a tiny video of me and DH standing by a Christmas tree and wishing them a merry Christmas. If I don't get an email address they will be taken off the list next year.

Thanks for the replies! Gransnet invariably has the answer! I think the idea of mentioning a charity donation is a good one and I will probably do just that (and make the donation). Like a few posters - because of our age - I don't like just stopping without warning......

I just stopped sending them, nobody said anything about it. If they had I would have said that I am no longer sending cards.

Oh such a shame the only part of Christmas I enjoy is getting and making / sending cards I love seeing them all thankfully everyone on my list all seems to feel the same as I still get them every year

My Dad says that he's glad when he receives a card just to know that they're still alive.
I've pruned my list but still post some because DD1 works for Royal Mail and would like to keep her job.

Can you send everyone a message via your PC or Phone saying your not sending cards this year?
We do that in work and give to a Charity.

I just made a note in the card that would be the last year I would be sending them one, but always wished them the best for Christmas and new year.

I said I would donate to charity in future, which I did in lieu.

Interesting that was the last year I received from many of them, fair enough, think many are glad of a reason to prune their lists also.

This year I have just let everyone know that I won't be sending out cards as I shall be supporting such and such local charity. Also, see who returns your cards. I have sent about three cards to some very elderly people who I have written to all my life and it would be mean not to write as they will not be with us for many years to come.

lemsip

I wouldn't say it, I just wouldn't send.

The problem with that is that people then think something has happened to you! I hardly send any cards these days but I realised that, if I didn’t get a card from someone who usually sends one I worry about them.

I have this year added a comment inside the cards of those to whom I shall not send in future. I didn't want anyone worrying that I had died.

I think it's such common practice now to desist that no one ever queries it. I only ever had one follow up telephone call from someone who wanted to make sure I hadn't died!

I don't send cards anymore haven't done for ages - since our last elderly relativevdied .I sponsor a hearing dog instead I kind of let it be known that's what we do put on facebook etc but I'm not obsessive about it. I just assume people will realise .

I’ve cut my list in half and I didn’t bother telling anyone just didn’t send.