I just wish people would stop sending me Christmas cards

I agree with this.

You can spend time and money to send a Christmas card and say it’s to show thought but can’t put that energy into a phone and text to meet up sometime.

Doesn’t come off as thoughtful as some make it out to be to me either in such circumstances especially when the card literally says what could have been put in a text message.

It’s more for the giver than the receiver.

I’m not big on cards and DH’s family is. He’s in charge of writing and sending them out. No clue if he sent them this year and I told him where they were so rest was up to him.

Only two received actually had more than a handful of words and that was from his Uncle who is in his late 70s and our nephew who is 5.

Cards go in the bin before New Years. We don’t hang them up because I’m not going to spend the holidays having to put them back up repeatedly because oldest autistic child will pull them down and then toddler will likely try to bite them (currently teething). It is the reason we have a felt Christmas tree vs an actual one.

This absolutely.

I must admit I do get a little fed up when I get a two word message like ‘from Elaine’ and wonder what’s the point.

However, I actually enjoy writing Christmas cards so will keep doing it. I write something cheerful on each one and try to give an update of my own situation where appropriate without being too tedious about it. I like to choose really nice cards so it’s a pleasure for me to write them. Yes it’s a bit of a chore addressing and stamping but to me it’s worth it.

I don’t criticise those who choose not to send cards, it’s a personal decision and I respect it, although I think telling people you don’t want cards from them, or putting them in the recycling without reading them is a bit rude.

Have you told the people who send cards to you that you would rather they didn't, @iCod? Do you tell them their cards go straight in the recycling? They may be assuming that you put them up in your living room as part of the Christmas decoration, each card marking a token to remind you that someone gives a shit whether you live or die. Best to let them know you don't appreciate their efforts, so they can save their time, money and emotional energy. If they already know how little you value what they send and choose to send it anyway then of course that's up to them to choose to be so wasteful.

Pathetic isn't it.
With any luck this shit will die out soon.

This is hilarious, or maybe Poundland rather than Harrods. Cards are cards, they are a gesture to another person, who cares what class they represent.

Same, especially from people I have known for many years and never get to see who live far away. It's a way of keeping in touch and saying 'I still think of you'. I type a letter with all of our news from the year and add photos to mine as I never have time to write in the cards individually, but I like being able to share that with people I've known over the years.

We moved around a bit in our twenties and thirties so have friends we rarely see so it's a good way to keep in touch ...until the next time.
I keep saying I will get a new address book so I don't get sad seeing all the people who are no longer around.

I think it's abit of a waste to send them to everybody but I'm fine with it being close relatives and friends.
Besides, I keep the really nice ones and put them up every year.....they are basically decorations!

I agree it’s nice to think of people - I just don’t think Christmas cards are a good way to show it.

It offended me because I do send my dm a card with mum on, and my husband with husband on, and my young dcs a card too. I don't send any others as unfortunately everybody else who I would see is dead. Box cards go to dh's two elderly relatives who live far away. I don't send to the neighbours unless they give us one.

I grew up in a owned home, and now my family and I own our home too. No idea if I'm working class or not, as personally I don't believe in those labels; it is really condescending.

I agree there should not be a stereotype, and I have never heard of that one before.

I like them, and I think it’s a bit sad that it’s dying out as a tradition. I have whittled my list down a lot these days, but for the few left I still enjoy choosing nice ones that I think the recipient will like. I do add an individual message, not just names! I agree that younger people are stopping sending them, but I still have a fair few people on my list who are older, often single or bereaved, eg. former colleagues or friends of my parents who were kind to me as a child, who I know still enjoy and appreciate a card at Christmas.

We all know that Dave at work or one’s thirtysomething friends can text or Slack or email instead. But for Auntie June who lives alone half the country away, or Reg the elderly widower of your godparent, or your mum’s best friend who used to buy you lovely books when you were a kid, or your mentor from early in your career who’s now retired and who you want to show you still think of — those are the people who really do appreciate a card, and honestly I love sending them, and choosing something nice from a museum or something with cats on for Auntie June who loves cats, or whatever. And I still have a few friends my own age who like sending and receiving them, too.

If you don’t care about them, fine. But I do think that being sneery about something someone else has done at their own expense, just to show they’re thinking of you even if momentarily, is way more déclassé than any “working class” card (nice stirring there, OP 😆)

I like a Dickensian card. I actually like all Christmas cards.
I even like e cards and love a long round robin about people's operations and similar.

Yes, I know. But I hate the whole ‘stuffing your face’ , ‘scoffing down’ troughing’ type of language about eating on here.

I got the point they were making. People spend a lot on food - well some people do - so why don't people buy cards. Tbh I really don't care what other people do. If people don't want to buy people cards they are perfectly entitled not to and that's up to them

A corporate one should feature The Old Curiosity Shop. It’s a rule 🔨

What is the point then? I’m missing it too I think.

The last thing I am is posh - someone made a dig at me earlier in the thread calling me working class and suggesting that I sent cards like that because I give my mum a card at Christmas, I'm very working class. I just don't like assumptions being made about me because I send a card to my mum every year

Why do you think non card senders don’t wish people Merry Christmas?

I don’t ’stuff my face’ at Christmas or otherwise. What a horrible turn of phrase that is. I enjoy a carefully cooked meal with friends and/or relatives.
Cards are just pointless.

As I said before sometimes I put gift cards or money inside the card.

Oh aren't you posh 🙄

I get it now :) if you send a card with "dear mum" on the front - you're working class.

I've never sent my mum a card like that in my life :)

I’m not either of the people involved here so far but - no, I don’t feel guilty. They wanted to send a card and presumably got something out of that (people here are certainly saying they send them because they enjoy doing it). I don’t like them so I throw them away, having noted who they were from. The people sending them don’t know. It doesn’t affect them at all.

I still get one for the former owner of my house. We’ve been here 16 years and she’s been dead for five.

if people care enough to send Christmas cards
they should surely at least know whether the recipient is still in the realm of the living - otherwise why bother?

I’m with you, OP.

What is the point @Lelophants ?

I don't think they are thinking of us. They (or the wife of course) is just doing a piece of Christmas wifework that for me, she can totally drop. Give us a ring and arrange to meet up. Much better. Meaningless card - no thanks.