If someone sent you a (nicely) handmade Christmas card, would you think…

True, didn’t think of that!

depends if you factor in costs of tools as well as materials, and also which cards you buy.

I’ve made my own cards for decades. I actually wanted to stop at one point because I’d run out of ideas and couldn’t be bothered but my family said they really like them and miss them. I can understand saving nice cracker paper because I like to hoard “bits and bobs” for craft things but I can also understand that would seem weird to other people. I have a box full of random things like foam offcuts and an art portfolio folder full of various textures of paper. But I wouldn’t tell anyone non-crafty about it because they just wouldn’t understand. I’m wondering what kind of cards you’re making if it’s more expensive to do that than buy them (unless you’re factoring in time as well)

I think some people are a bit "side eye" about recycling/upcycling and the people who do it. Their loss basically

I hand painted my own Christmas cards this year using expensive quality watercolour paper and my expensive paints and brushes. Each card took me between 2 and 6 hours to make. Certainly not a cheap option and I think everyone who received one was absolutely delighted (apart from my mum who is constantly miserable about everything).

I would be happy to receive both. I'd appreciate the homemade one a little more, just don't send homemade food.

Cause you are a lazy person unless you are on a verge of a self inflicted burnout 24/7.

It depends to be honest. If the person was a bit skint and the cards a bit crap I’d think it was to save money and I’d appreciate the effort but think they didn’t need to bother, I don’t send cards at all now, many don’t.

if they were very good, and the person clearly skilled, I’d see it as a gift.

Where did I say it was a bad thing?! I’m jealous!!

DH used to paint me a home made card, now he prints one that he makes it’s always a little in joke, he also makes them for DS. It’s my favourite thing to receive, also does Birthday cards for me.

My family and neighbours had painted Christmas cards made by me, they also get the same with Birthday cards.

I don’t send any Christmas cards.

Does that give the impression I’m on the poverty line then?! 🤗

It barely cost £1 or £2 to buy a box of 10 cards, how could hand-made be any cheaper!

I would love it! It shows they have taken time and care. Anyone and everyone can (usually) buy a packet of cards but not many would take the trouble to make one.

Always love receiving handmade cards. One incredible friend sends me a cross stiched card, all individual festive designs, each year. I frame them and they are part of my Christmas decorations as I love them and appreciate the effort & kind thought thats gone into each one. Would never occur to me to think someone was being 'cheap'.

I’d be delighted by a handmade card and with postage now being so expensive I’m thinking I might take the time to make cards next year as paying so much to post a mass produced card seems a bit unbalanced in effort

Thank-you! I’d no idea there was such a thing as a gift tag punch. I’ve ordered myself one as I’ve pretty cards to use but they look slightly amateur cut freehand

Can we have a picture of a card you make? I am curious! If i have to do it i would probably draw santa and a christmas tree and thats it🫣 (and i am not good at drawing!)

I bet your cards are lovely,OP. Only give them to people who will genuinely appreciate them.

I've come to the conclusion some people are very badly informed, lack imagination and simply don't have enquiring minds. These people include those who believe that buying something ready-made is always going to be better than making it yourself.

This has to be partly be the power of marketing and branding. They want to show that they can afford brands that others recognise and want to be associated with. This matters more to them than whether the item they're buying is any good and whether it represents value for money.

Then there are the people with health anxiety who have convinced themselves that buying food and drink made in a factory is always going to be safer than home-made. What they don't always grasp is that (a) it isn't and (b) what they really want is the reassurance that the thing will always be the same and therefore predictable and safe, whereas those of us who like home-made things positively relish that they're not all the same.

And finally there are those who can't do simple arithmetic. They know nothing about making cakes, chutney, jewellery etc but somehow think that if an amateur or semi-professional sells what they make they should charge peanuts because they don't stop to think about the cost of the raw materials or the electricity or to put a value on the maker's time. At bottom, though, these cheapskates also don't think that home-made can be worth anything.

I love getting beautiful handmade cards from crafty friends. I appreciate the time and skill that has gone into making them and keep them long after Christmas. Craft stuff doesn't come cheap!

Round here (rural Essex) there are many wreath-making workshops. They all look amazing. Uptake seems to be a different demographic that 20 year olds though.

There are a lot of people who think like that though. My 20 year daughter is mortified that I have made a wreath for the front door (knitted), partly because she thinks it's not sparkly enough, partly because "everyone" has a shop bought one. Loads of threads about how handmade or homemade is second best and how people prefer to buy new.

I would be absolutely delighted with a homemade card. My mum still displays a cross stitched Santa card I made at least 25 years ago.

Depending on materials used, I am not sure handmade Christmas cards are cheaper than bought ones.

Regardless, I would assume the giver was a person who enjoyed handcrafts. I would be very pleased to receive a handmade card and might well keep it beyond the date when others would be recycled.

Havent RTFT, but Xmas cards are so cheap I'm pretty sure it would be more expensive to make them - not to mention more time consuming. Craft bits cost more than you think. So I would assume it's because they are crafty / think it's more personal.

Not a Christmas card, but we received a handmade Silver Wedding Anniversary card from our neighbour a few weeks ago and I was really touched that someone would go to that effort to do something lovely for us.
I kept it and put it away when we took them down.