‘We are not sending cards this year, instead ...’

[AShaveAndAHarecutHalfPrice]

Anyone else get annoyed by these frankly attention seeking posts?

No reason to tell people which charitable cause you are supporting - simply wish your friends a Merry Christmas, without the public display of do-goodery.

I’m not sending cards cos I write them and forget to post them and it’s a massive waste of time and money, so I no longer do it.

Merry Christmas everyone!

WarmSausageTea
I see what you mean. I wouldn't like it if it was being used to dismiss genuine acts of kindness and charity.

I do think it's an appropriate phrase where it's used properly to talk about behaviour that's all about the person trying to showcase what a good person they are. It's more about image than charity (often in my experience goes hand in hand with slacktivism where instead of actually doing things for causes people sharing and like things on social media to make themselves look and feel good).

To me it's in a similar group of expressions to things such as "holier than thou".

I’m not sending cards because I don’t like the waste and I can’t be arsed. I’m also giving to charity but these things are entirely unrelated and no one but me knows that I’ve donated. Do send cards/ don’t send cards, who cares? Just don’t make a song and dance out if it.

Load of crap.
If you’re not sending cards, then just don’t. No need to bullshit people.

What a load of pompous arses most of you are.
If someone wants to wish their family & friends a Merry Christmas and mention the charities they are supporting, why the hell not.
Want on earth is it to do with you....
Of all the things to get het about about..

Cards that get sent to me go from envelope into bin. I don't send them. I just don't see the point

@Hollachica because half the time there’s no charity involved at all, it’s just something people say to stop them appearing ignorant on social media!

We had it posted on our housing estates FB group, I don’t even know who they are so I doubt I’d notice a missing card. You can also give cards AND donate to charity, unless the £1.50 you save on the cards is the full amount you will be donating.

hollachica
Nobody has an issue with giving cards.

It's that people should make whatever choice they like without going on about it.

So quite a few of us have our own reasons for limiting or not doing cards, but we just get on with it, we don't post on social media about "The Brown family won't be doing Christmas cards this year because we're donating money to this charity that we will now bleat on about in order to sound like we're amazing philanthropists".

I sent a message this year saying just that because I pulled my back and all my planning went to pot. I usually write proper letters in about 5 cases and they didn't get those so I felt I just had to explain. But now I feel a bit shit!

Ugh my sil does this. The truth is she’s more interested in partying and is hopelessly disorganised and lazy - everything is last minute because she’s so “busy”. So every year she announces that she’s giving to charity instead of giving cards and all her fawning followers post replies declaring how generous she is. It’s nauseating!

Incidentally we buy cards that give 100% profit to charity.

minesagin37
Don't feel shit! Everyone knows life throws things at everyone at different times. One of my friends is due to give birth soon and she's sent a message saying there's no cards/presents this year. Only an arse would have an issue.

The issue on this thread isn't people not giving cards (for any reason), and more to do with the behaviour of people who feel the need to announce to the whole world that they aren't doing cards because they are giving to charity when:

• they've never sent cards to most people on their friends list anyway so most won't be expecting one
• give or don't give cards, nobody minds
• there's no need to announce "I'm donating to charity" to seem generous to people who you'd never normally send cards to anyway

Why not do both? Very lazy, especially to elderly relatives!
YANBU

I agree with much of what you’re saying, Lola; clearly my issue is with the expression, but given how language evolves, I should just unclench about it.

I'd usually agree with OP but last year my uncle announced they were sponsoring a guide dog puppy with the money previously spent on Xmas cards. Throughout the year on FB they uploaded the updates and it actually made me think - instead of the generic snow scene Christmas card on my sideboard for a couple of weeks which I'm absolutely indifferent about, my uncle's decision has made a lasting positive impact involving a whole chain of people. I don't really post on social media anyway but it did spur me on to be more charitable which is a positive.

I think it's irritating and virtue signalling!

I agree op.

There are a few on my Facebook but they are actually attention seekers so it was no shock.

I had someone say to me once that I wouldn’t understand as I don’t ‘do’ charity etc. Actually I do. I volunteer at a soup kitchen/homeless shelter twice a month. I just don’t tell a how about it because why would I.

(As an aside I never give cards as I’m a miserable sod and I thinks it’s wasteful and any I get - which is few due to being a miserable sod - go in the recycling).

*dont tell anyone about it