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Original poster

DH has made his annual announcement

96 replies

LeggyLegsEleven · 15/12/2023 10:33

He definitely going to send Christmas cards. Every year the week before Christmas he declares this so I now know we are truly in the Christmas season.
He has never sent cards out in time, most years not at all. He will buy cards though, which I occasionally gather up and give away.
He did once send a bunch of cards in January though!

OP posts:
FlyingCherub · 17/12/2023 08:52

DH gets me to write cards every year but then says "don't waste a stamp on them, I'll drop them off". And that's why every January, I find a pile of them in his car door Hmm

Last year, my Dad was dying and I refused point blank to write any cards and golly it was liberating. I'm wondering if I can using grieving still as an excuse.... Xmas Grin

MrsJellybee · 17/12/2023 08:53

I know it's Christmas when DH asks 'Do we have any stamps?' for the cards he will never write. Also, when he looks for Christmas music to create 'atmosphere' as we put up the tree. He spends so long looking for the perfect playlist that the tree is up (and sometimes down again) before the music task is completed to his satisfaction.

Alighttouchonthetiller · 17/12/2023 08:57

chaosmaker · 17/12/2023 07:08

Cards go straight in the recycling unless they have a point to them, like from people who live abroad.

Charming. Someone has thought about you, taken time to write you a card, paid for a stamp and bothered to post it and you put it straight in the bin. Really unpleasant.

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Events & celebrations
DriftingDora · 17/12/2023 09:00

Judging by the crappy postal service where I live, if your DH posts his cards now the recipients will get them in about August. We are now 'privileged' to receive post on only 2-3 days a week and if you're lucky the letters are actually for you, not misdelivered for someone 3 streets away.

MrsCarson · 17/12/2023 09:01

Mine seems oblivious to all the prep going on around him, and then will be very surprised when I remind him it's Christmas Eve or Christmas Day tomorrow, and will question, Not already?
This year he's cooking hams, so I will have to remind him on the day they need cooking to we'll be missing part of the dinner. I'll be at work all weekend before so I hope he follows the list I'll make.

ememem84 · 17/12/2023 09:03

Dhs relatives are still waiting for their wedding thank yous. We got married in 2011….

this year he’s going to order gifts for our nephews in nz. He hasn’t done it. luckily I did it.

BatCity · 17/12/2023 09:04

Mine has announced he always takes the week off before Xmas, implying to take a full active part in preparation & activities.
He's never attended a single primary event, patchy at secondary.
Can't remember him wrapping anything
Can't remember him really thinking, deciding and buying much
He's basically going to spend a week at his desk or in the garden.

BatCity · 17/12/2023 09:09

He did once purchase £60 worth of artisan ham which he then cooked on Xmas eve for hours with an incredible amount of faff and spillage for delivery to his family on boxing day.
I now have to listen to an annual review of how delicious DHs traditional ham cooking is. He's never done it again.

SummerLightning · 17/12/2023 09:11

Mine is the opposite and makes mince pies every week from mid November. But he always makes a chocolate log and fucks up and splits the chocolate coating and it looks totally shit.
Neither of us have written Xmas cards yet but I am considering it.

dudsville · 17/12/2023 09:12

My DH sends out the cards, he does it well in advance and just leaves me piles to sign. He sends loads, so "we" get loads back. They add to the festive cheer of our home. At the end of the season i collect them all. I keep some aside to come out again next year - i have a few from loved ones who have died. The rest get assessed for whether their picture can be cut into tags for next year's gifts.

KissTheRains · 17/12/2023 09:13

Every year when I was growing up, from at least 1980 until he couldn't do it any more, my Dad would spend several nights in early december writing out 100s of cards.

After he'd written them all he'd seperate them by area, put them into KwikSave carrier bags and leave them lined up by the front door. Then, around middle December, he'd pick a bag and announce he was "Off delivering" and vanish for several hours with one KwikSave bag, returning with an empty bag and often a little deeper in his cups, as it were.

He had so many friends and acquaintances and would knock on each door to deliver their cards and say hello, sometimes they'd offer him a sherry and after saying no a few times the offer was gladly accepted.

It hasn't felt like Christmas to me since I was a kid, I think that yearly tradition of my dad heading out delivering cards was bigger part of Christmas than I gave credit at the time.

I don't continue the tradition.

TiredOfYourNonsense · 17/12/2023 09:15

My husband, in the 45 years we've been together, has only ever sent ONE card each year - mine. I do everyone else's (his parents, siblings, aunts, etc., when they were all alive). Th same with presents. He just pays for it all Xmas Grin

ssd · 17/12/2023 09:23

Dh has sent his 3 cards.

Xmas is in full swing here.

ssd · 17/12/2023 09:24

TiredOfYourNonsense · 17/12/2023 09:15

My husband, in the 45 years we've been together, has only ever sent ONE card each year - mine. I do everyone else's (his parents, siblings, aunts, etc., when they were all alive). Th same with presents. He just pays for it all Xmas Grin

Have you never worked?

ssd · 17/12/2023 09:36

Sorry didn't mean to sound snippy, just curious?

Songbird54321 · 17/12/2023 09:37

I’ve already had the annual ‘I’m going to eat more veg/lose weight/go running’ declaration. Pretty standard stuff, albeit earlier than usual.
Our main Christmas tradition is arguing when putting up the Christmas tree. We didn’t this year and it didn’t feel right, although it did get a little tense when he ‘helped’ wrap the presents so we’re back on track. It’s also 1 week before Christmas and he hasn’t got a single present for his family. I’m refusing to help, let’s see if they get anything. He usually wings it and manages ok

Darhon · 17/12/2023 09:41

FlyingCherub · 17/12/2023 08:52

DH gets me to write cards every year but then says "don't waste a stamp on them, I'll drop them off". And that's why every January, I find a pile of them in his car door Hmm

Last year, my Dad was dying and I refused point blank to write any cards and golly it was liberating. I'm wondering if I can using grieving still as an excuse.... Xmas Grin

Sorry about your dad. I’ve not written a card for years, by the time I had 3 kids and worked full time again, I just decided that he writing merry Xmas in a pile of cards wasn't heartfelt and away a waste of time. I also see everyone I care about in my life at least 1-2 times per year, including my friends of decades.

Hab788 · 17/12/2023 09:46

KissTheRains · 17/12/2023 09:13

Every year when I was growing up, from at least 1980 until he couldn't do it any more, my Dad would spend several nights in early december writing out 100s of cards.

After he'd written them all he'd seperate them by area, put them into KwikSave carrier bags and leave them lined up by the front door. Then, around middle December, he'd pick a bag and announce he was "Off delivering" and vanish for several hours with one KwikSave bag, returning with an empty bag and often a little deeper in his cups, as it were.

He had so many friends and acquaintances and would knock on each door to deliver their cards and say hello, sometimes they'd offer him a sherry and after saying no a few times the offer was gladly accepted.

It hasn't felt like Christmas to me since I was a kid, I think that yearly tradition of my dad heading out delivering cards was bigger part of Christmas than I gave credit at the time.

I don't continue the tradition.

Edited

Thats such a lovely memory. Really touched me. I could see my grandad in your description, he was just the same.

OrangesLemonsLimes · 17/12/2023 10:04

The Kwik Save bag story is lovely. We had a wonderful neighbour like that.

Original poster
LeggyLegsEleven · 17/12/2023 10:08

I think part of the declaration is he thinks that I will go ‘no I’ll do it’. I also have not sent cards for a long time, not since technology took over.
I also do everything else so I’m not wasting my time sending cards to his relatives who make zero effort.

OP posts:
vanillaredbushtea · 17/12/2023 10:10

LeggyLegsEleven · 17/12/2023 10:08

I think part of the declaration is he thinks that I will go ‘no I’ll do it’. I also have not sent cards for a long time, not since technology took over.
I also do everything else so I’m not wasting my time sending cards to his relatives who make zero effort.

Ahhh... yes I have one of those. I don't. Then the MIL complains about a lack of card.

PUGMEISTER21 · 17/12/2023 10:14

I dont send Christmas cards, waste of time and money. Every year my wife says she sends Christmas cards, not once has she sent one.

mogtheexcellent · 17/12/2023 10:17

DHs family all sit and exchange cards on christmas day while unwrapping presents.

They all sort out the whos getting who in the family secret santa the week before christmas.

The bunch of weirdos.

CremeBrunette · 17/12/2023 10:21

I didn’t realise this was a thing but every year DH will declare he’s going to make some bread for Christmas Day. And 9/10 we buy a nice loaf from a bakery.

ilovesushi · 17/12/2023 10:26

DH and I are both very last minute about everything but he is more last minute and I am more second to last minute so it makes me feel organised. My cards are written, stamped and posted. His are written. All in all I think we are doing well this year!

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