to start writing my Christmas cards?

[BalloonSlayer]

• as long as I promise not to send them until December?

Apart from to my Mum, of course. I long to make her feel she must start sending hers even earlier, and intend to post hers first class! next week.

I ordered them and they came sooner than I thought, and now I feel sooooo Christmassy.

[TrillianSlasher]

YABU - something might happen between now and December that you want to mention.

[wheresmypaddle]

I agree but have come up with a solution which might help. Dont stick envelopes down and keep the pen that you use safe- that way you can add anything that you need to nearer the time. E.g if someone announces they have new job, are pregnant etc you can mention it....

[Ineedmorechocolatenow]

I'm going to buy mine next week and start writing them too.. they take so bloody long to write, I couldn't bear to leave it to the last minute....

But then I'm a bit of a freak.....

[Bleh]

To write and post them in October is only acceptable if you're South African, and post does actually take two months to arrive, so it is wise. A family friend newly moved to the UK did this - wrote and posted all her xmas cards using first class post in October, and then got a flurry of very confused phone calls.

[BalloonSlayer]

The reason I thought it'd be safe to is that no one reads the messages in the cards anyway.

I found this out when I had my last (unplanned) DC. He was born not so long before Christmas so I wrote a little note in the cards announcing his arrival. We still get a large proportion of cards without his name on it .

[fircone]

I'm too superstitious. I'm sure I'd be run over by a bus if I wrote my Christmas cards now. Likewise I never buy Christmas wrapping etc in January sales. That would guarantee that I'd be struck by a bolt of lightning in March.

[BalloonSlayer]

When's the first acceptable date to receive a Christmas card, then?

I mean without looking like you are:

• lonely
• afflicted with too much time on your hands
• anal
• the owner of a curly perm
• a granmother or proprietor of a curry house
• or all of the above

[paisleyleaf]

There are other things you can do now towards christmas.
Shopping, make cake,pudding etc
But cards now? Doesn't seem very christmassy. Wouldn't you rather be sitting by a xmas tree to do that?

[BalloonSlayer]

to send, I meantersay...

[BalloonSlayer]

paisleyleaf: "make cake,pudding etc"

Sorry, can you explain please?

Don't these things come from Tesco?

[Tombliboobs]

Just send them to the people you actually know and keep in contact with. If they don't know you have an extra DC, you can't be in very close contact with them

So my advice would be, cut back your list and just do it December.

[BalloonSlayer]

Ah but I take the opposite view Tombliboobs (great name BTW).

Christmas cards were invented as a means to wish people a Happy Christmas if you were not able to do so in person. In many countries that still applies. Some Italian friends are utterly bemused at the idea of sending them to workmates or neighbours, as to them they are only for people they won't get to see.

I like having those few distant friends I only hear from at Christmas.

If people didn't read our birth announcement notes they must now think that DS2 is a pet and we have turned into those saddos who include their animals on their christmas cards.

Stand up my sister, who writes cards from her, her partner, her children, her partner's children, the dog and the two cats. So you get [names have been changed]

Love from
Janet, John, Peter, Jane, Susan, Mark, Gnashers, Fluffy and Mittens
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Her arm must be ready to fecking drop off after three cards.

[Shoppingveggie]

BalloonSlayer - we get a card like that, but worse (again names have been changed)

Love from
Joan, Dave, Trudie, Michelle and Sophie
Rex (woof woof), Rover (woof woof), Tiddles (meow meow) and Sid (cheap cheap)

"Joan" is a woman with too much time on her hands!

[Shoppingveggie]

oops - getting back to original point - I don't think it is too early to write them, yes it's lovely to think you could write them with the Christmas tree up and the fire roaring, but I would get more satisfaction knowing they are written and sitting by the tree with the fire roaring surfing the internet!

I usually write my cards in November and post them 2nd class on the second week in December.

Oh - and I always buy the Christmassy stamps!

[MintyCane]

I get one card every year on the first of November with a round Robin letter ( hate those ) in it
It just makes them look like loonies.

I guess you can write them when you like as long as you post them near xmas.

[HKT]

YABVVU - what's wrong with doing them on Christmas Eve like normal people

Seriously, get them done, then you don't have to think about doing them when you're up to the neck in presents/paper/turkey

[NBelle]

If you have the time now and you feel Christmassy go ahead. I love Christmas and am already excited.

What I have done the last few years is not send any cards and instead donated the money I would have spent to charity. My family and friends have not complained yet.

[Glitterknickaz]

I've just started MAKING mine.... they'll take me to Nov to make then start writing ready to post on 1st Dec!

[NBelle]

I should probably add that i live overseas and to post all the cards would cost over £50.