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Original poster

Does anyone send Christmas cards still?

107 replies

trader21c · 09/12/2023 06:49

Every year I resolve to stop then someone sends me one and I worry about offending them if I don’t reciprocate. It’s a faff and expensive to buy a stamp when I’m in touch with anyone I might want to wish a Happy Christmas to on social media. But every year I crumble just prolonging the process … do you send Xmas cards? Even a few? Or is it an old tradition that genuinely is dying out? Not sure how to play it this year …

OP posts:
CharlotteBog · 09/12/2023 10:25

I have a system:
Phase 1: Australia and India (family)
Phase 2: USA, mainland Europe (family and friends)
Phase 3: domestic to post (family and friends)
Phase 4: by hand at events/meeting in the lead up (a few close friends), care home staff and other volunteers etc.
Phase 5: by hand in my village (a few close friends or people I care about). I usually combine it with a run, it's fun.
Phase 6: (optional) by hand in my village to people who popped one though my door (neighbours who we barely know who have been swept away in the moment!).

Total will be about 30 or 40 (not sure yet, am on phase 2)
Friends are those I'm very close to, who maybe have moved away or have had a difficult year and who I'm thinking about more. I'm at the age when my peers are losing their parents and having been through that I know how hard the first Christmas can be.

For my overseas family and very close friends I have some lovely cards from a friend's business.

Mrsjayy · 09/12/2023 13:20

Sparthan · 09/12/2023 09:19

I always send cards to our parents. I used to send them to the neighbours in our street too, but I’ve got less and less in return every year. Only one neighbour has sent me a card this year. I’m debating not sending cards any more.

Two of DC’s school friends have sent cards to the class. I think it’s a dying tradition. Maybe people don’t have the money any more.

I keep a box for this I bought it 2 years ago and I just write 1 for the neighbour that posted it through.

Elleherd · 09/12/2023 22:36

Am really grateful for the cards I recieve, so still both make and send them. Due to finances I deliver wherever possible.

Interested in this thread?

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Christmas Events & celebrations
DelurkingAJ · 09/12/2023 22:43

I do. I have a list and there’s definitely a priority order:

  • elderly relatives abroad
  • elderly relatives I won’t see
  • old friends not on social media
  • Relatives I won’t see
  • old friends I won’t see
  • everyone else

I’m onto old friends not on social media at the moment. And all the first three categories get a side of what we’re up to…makes coughing up postage less painful!

KeepThisToYourself · 09/12/2023 22:45

I send them to family members, obviously, and some of the neighbours (I don't know that many of them). but I only post about 6 with stamps.

MissBuffyAnneSummers · 09/12/2023 22:45

To colleagues and family yes.

Sandiegodreaming · 09/12/2023 22:47

No - call me Scrooge but waste of money/ time and bad for environment. Plus nobody is bothered. It's dying out, like holiday postcards.

Doggymummar · 09/12/2023 22:47

Not for years, but this year I sent three. I work remotely and sent to colleagues who also do and one to the office.

MadeOfAllWork · 09/12/2023 23:07

I do. It’s mainly for older relatives and friends that I only see every few years. I also send them to the neighbours.

A month or so after our immediate neighbours moved in we got a lovely ‘to our wonderful neighbours’ Christmas card from them. They are a Muslim refugee family and it was very thoughtful. We always get a special one for them and we exchange Eid cards too.

FractiousPangolin · 09/12/2023 23:27

My parents in law have always sent and received enormous numbers of cards: every downstairs surface covered, plus long ribbons of them hanging on the wall. They were so disappointed last year when they received many fewer because of the strikes. I wasn't, though! I don't enjoy the process of writing them, and find the expectation quite a burden.

SWSO · 09/12/2023 23:30

I'm down to two as they don't live in my town and they are not on social media .

Paddleboarder · 09/12/2023 23:54

I only sent a few, mostly to family and friends that live away and I never see.

RampantIvy · 09/12/2023 23:56

Only to people I rarely see and people I don't want to upset by not sending them.

Copperoliverbear · 10/12/2023 00:03

Only to people who send me one. X

feelingalittlehorse · 10/12/2023 00:07

Yes! I love it!!! I don’t have social media, and it’s a way of saying hi to people I don’t get a chance to see.

The internet has taken over all forms of communication, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing.

SallyWD · 10/12/2023 00:11

I do. I really enjoy writing cards. I don't expect to receive them but I love it when I do. I think it's a lovely tradition.

dressedforcomfort · 10/12/2023 09:23

I do, but mostly to far-flung elderly relatives that are still invested in Christmas cards and getting letters. The number I send has radically reduced over the years. I think it's a tradition that will die out eventually.

RedheadRedBed · 10/12/2023 17:53

They used to be part of the decorations . But I only send to family and friends now . Nobody sends them at work much anymore. To be honest used to take them home and put them straight into the recycling bin. I now only put up the ones from family and friends.

enchantedsquirrelwood · 10/12/2023 18:02

I sent about six. DH will probably send a few more as he has a bigger family.

I can't see the point anymore, and I don't really get any pleasure from receiving them, probably because people write "Dear Jane Love from Steve and family. And that's it. What's the point?

enchantedsquirrelwood · 10/12/2023 18:04

feelingalittlehorse · 10/12/2023 00:07

Yes! I love it!!! I don’t have social media, and it’s a way of saying hi to people I don’t get a chance to see.

The internet has taken over all forms of communication, and I don’t think that’s necessarily a good thing.

I do agree with this - historians used to study peoples' letters. That all stopped in the mid 90s or so with email, and now all they've got is social media archives.

I used to be an avid letter writer, but I can't get into cards.

Jackfrostnippingatmynose · 10/12/2023 18:05

Nener send a holiday postcard nowadays, nor a Xmas card except to f&f I won't actually see in person in the run up to Xmas. If I've not seen that friend in real life in the last 5 years I no longer send one - just maybe a message via SM.
Thank goodness "round robin" letters are outdated too!

MolkosTeenageAngst · 10/12/2023 18:06

I never send them. I sometimes receive the odd one or two from friends and get a few from work colleagues/ clients usually but I don’t reciprocate and would be happy if that meant the senders decided not to bother the next year!

Flyhigher · 10/12/2023 18:08

I'm ashamed to say I stopped about 20 years ago. But I did love receiving them. I felt loved at Christmas.

Yogagrandmum · 10/12/2023 18:12

i like sending cards

Squirrelsnut · 10/12/2023 18:16

I give a card and gift to my team at work (5 people) and post about 10 to close friends and family.
I love choosing them, there are some very beautiful designs these days.