Is it just me who would be happy never to receive another greetings card?

[clary]

Random thread slightly inspired by another – am I the only person who really would be fine, totally fine, never to receive another card – Christmas, birthday, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day...?

All I do with them is recycle them and it seems such a waste. Ones from the office with 20 pp writing Happy bday Clary – even ones from my DC? In fact those are worse bc I feel I should keep them and treasure them.

Honestly in this electronic age, just send me a text or message me on socials. Much greener and doesn't involve recycling. Reduce is much better. Or in the case of DC, wish me actual happy birthday. Make me dinner. Hoover up. Give me a hug.

I would really rather have the money, I can’t lie. Instead of writing “love Dave and Sue” on a piece of folded card with a pic of Santa on, and posting it to me, just PayPal me the £1 you spent (with the postage it would be that much even second class!). If everyone did that and then just messaged me I’d be well away haha.

This is slightly lighthearted and I am sure there will be a flock of ppl telling me how horribly miserable I am. Really tho? I am glad to speak to and get messages from friends. That brightens my day. But in 2025 there is zero need to write the message in a card, surely.

I agree with you. My nana used to give us money in a card for our birthday. Then she stopped giving us a card and just gave us an extra fiver to "save the trees" she said 😂 absolutely loved that extra fiver when I was young.

I enjoy receiving Mother’s Day cards from my DC who are old enough to purchase write a message and send. I stopped sending Christmas cards over a decade ago. I enjoy seeing family updates but I can’t fit cards in time wise or money wise. I send two birthday cards a year. Cards are crazy expensive. I said to DH do we really need to give each other a valentine card to say I love you? So often it seems the same message year after year. I can enjoy them for a few days I appreciate them and the sender but I too think they are just too expensive for many occasions. The idea of a card for every holiday or with every gift is over to me.

I'm surprised the card shops haven't gone out of business, we have that horrible cheap one down the mall, waste of space

My adult dc buy me wine instead and white a message in the label lol!

I don’t like cards so I would be happy not to receive them. We never send them and if we receive them, they go straight in the recycling.

Well wrt flights @Poonu I don’t fly very often as it goes. Although as far as I am aware, concern for the environment is still valid in whatever amounts are available. I am under no illusions that me not sending cards will save the planet, dw. I'm not a vegan either though I do buy organic milk.

I’m not saying everyone or indeed anyone has to agree with me. If you like sending and receiving cards, fill your boots. (Just don’t send to me!) I was just wondering if I was the only person who thought it was pointless. Actually IME a card is very much not thoughtful. Writing "happy birthday Clary love Emily" – no thought has gone into that at all. Send me a thoughtful message – a funny meme I will like, a picture of us together, a cute picture of a capybara – that’s more thoughtful IMO.

Several years ago I told DH I as no longer going to do the wifework of sending Christmas cards to his relatives inc an obscure cousin i wouldn’t know if they walked in the room. He said, “well you might not get a card back from them any more.” Fine I mean totally fine by me.

You raised them well! I got an engraved bottle of vodka for a milestone birthday. Excellent gift.

I have found my people 😊 I cannot see the point of cards.

My elderly DM was not very demonstrative but was always pleased to receive Christmas cards and carefully put them up - they were treated as decorations and couldn't be replaced by electronic messages. They dwindled as she got older so I used to take mine down at Christmas to add to hers - my friends knew to always send me cards.

Love a card

Going against the grain but I like giving and receiving cards. I have a milestone birthday coming up and I am looking forward to getting and displaying cards. My teenager always makes me a homemade card, which I love. When sending cards, I try to write a heartfelt, personal message inside, so it's not just 'Happy Bday, Clary, love SingletonAtLarge'. I agree that is a bit flat.

I mean I literally got a Christmas card last year that just said "from James and Sylvia" not even "to Clary and family". They could buy cheap cards in January, write three dozen and then just address them in December. But why?

If you like cards tho then that’s all good. I think I have been finally put off as I work in a very big office and it seems to be someone’s birthday every other day.

Yes I do know what you mean about the work thing, I was part of a hobby group and there was somebody who always organised a card for us to sign every birthday and in the end it just felt impersonal and like we were all going through the motions.

I think the whole thing is such a con. Cards are ridiculously expensive these days (although more and more places are doing cheaper ones too), as are stamps. And ultimately they will just go in the bin.
I haven't even kept the ones the children made me. They weren't made with particular love or care, just something they had to get done that day at nursery/school and did as quickly as possible before they could her back outside and playing with their friends!

I love them.
We recycle them into gift tags, craft supplies etc.

I find it amusing that people who do the ultimate eco-unfriendly act of bio-reproduction, using automobiles , flying, etc. find nitpicking fault with minor things like paper greeting cards.

We already live in a lonely disconnected society, please don’t discourage more disconnection. You might dislike cards but for others they may be an important part of a limited social network

I painted a homemade Xmas card - people were most impressed..

I'm with you op. Hate cards.

I stopped Mother's Day card years ago unless the DC make them. Also we mutually stopped family birthday and Christmas cards.

I find it wasteful and cluttering plus these days postage is expensive.

Although to add by family I mean the adults still do family kids birthday cards.

Dh and I give each other cards but they have to be appropriate and interesting...we buy from Redbubble or other independent makers. I send no birthday cards except to adult dd...again, a thoughtful card. Don't send Xmas cards or any others

I volunteer by making cards for a local charity. They give one card a month to people in care homes with no family or friends to visit them.

One man who received his first card refused to believe it was for him, saying he didn't know anyone who would give him a card. He cried when he realised there are people who care enough to spend hours making, writing and delivering them.

I bet there will still be loads of threads of posters moaning that their DH didn't send them a Mother's Day card on behalf of the baby, even though most seem to prefer no cards.

It's more than £1 to send a card. Some cards are £3 or £4 for a start, and if you leave it too late and have to post first class, that's almost another £2 (can't remember the actual cost of a stamp - I lose track!) I can think of better ways to mark a birthday.