DP's family tradition (Christmas)

[Flamingoose]

They have a tradition where every single person must write a card to every single other person. That means if I spend Christmas day with MIL, FIL, SIL, her husband and their 2 boys, I have to write 7 cards from me (one for each of them), DP has to also write 7 cards, both my girls have to write 7 cards each, and all 4 of us will receive 7 cards each! There are over 50 cards being exchanged by 11 people all sitting in the same sodding room.

Ha ha!
Sorry, but that made me laugh...

I presume they write nice messages in them though not just To, Happy Christmas, Love From ?

It would make more sense to send cards to people you DON'T see on Christmas Day!

Some people have far too much time on their hands. Bugger that for a tradition.

What's the problem?

That's ridiculous. They know there's email now don't they? If it was me I'd just stop entirely and see what's the worst they could do. But I'm a bitch

I'm only considering 1 card this year to a neighbour who is alone to go with his present.

That's going to be a lot of trees over a lot of years.
I prefer a chat and a hug between Grandparents and Grandchildren, maybe play a game together, not making them sit and do writing.

I think it would be easier to start by not joining in their strange ways, rather than going along with it, then trying to stop down the line.

A group WhatsApp would solve this problem immediately!

It’s ridiculous.
But if you can’t beat them...
Why don’t you buy those mahoosive cards and exchange them. There will be no room for anyone else in the house and it might stop this tradition stone dead...
You know those really mawkish sentimental cards with teddy bears on.... about the height of a two year old...

We traditionally don’t exchange cards with immediate family we will be seeing on the day. It just feels silly and wasteful. We do smashing gifts though.

This seems ridiculous.
How about sending them all ecards?

Lol - glad I've made you laugh. I roll my eyes and huff about it every year!

Meringue - yes! Christmas cards are for sending Christmas love and wishes to people you won't be seeing!

To be fair, MIL writes thoughtful messages. Fill doesn't even write "Dear..." he just squiggles his name at the bottom!

You need to get a stamp made.

I'm giggling like a school kid imagining you trying to arrange all those cards in the room

I've been going along with it for 20+ years now. I'm resigned to it!

On the years when we don't spend Christmas together we get a jiffy-bag in the post with 35 cards in it!!

Have any of you got pets? Could you add to the madness by doing a card for each pet too?

Do they have shares in Hallmark?

You need a John Bull printing set!

Queenfreak that made me laugh! I could beat them at their own game! Escalate until they beg for mercy!

I’d write one word in each card, and then they have to line up correctly To complete the message “happy. Christmas. To . You. All. Love. Flamingoose”

@Flamingoose

I've been going along with it for 20+ years now. I'm resigned to it!

On the years when we don't spend Christmas together we get a jiffy-bag in the post with 35 cards in it!!

Oh my word. Thats finished me off. 35 cards

So married couples with dc don't share?
Bizarre!

And the thing is, they all do the expensive single cards with weak Christmas jokes on them. FIL has sent me the one with the turkey protesting Christmas at least 4 times because I'm vegan, and MIL always gets me the retro ladies saying something about gin. I buy a multipack and try and choose the least bad one for each person.

Could you give out the cards you got last year - and just add your name to the bottom. You can say it's an old tradition in your family that had sadly fallen by the wayside but you have now decided it should be revived.

Or did you chuck all those cards away - I know I would have done.

This is crazy! I would make a stand, suddenly develop a major concern about trees and consumerism (legitimate worries in this situation tbh) and announce you will do ecards only, or one from all of you to each family, if that will be more acceptable.