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 love giving cards and receiving them.

I love cards, they can mostly be re cycled. Bought from charity shops, supporting a charity.I have kept the congratulation cards from my DD birth,41 and a very special baby, she's 33 now. There are some lovely messages in them. The cards when my DM died, again beautiful heartfelt messages and memories. A neighbours wife died just before Christmas,they had been married over 60 years, Im not going to bang on the door,"oh hi sorry for your loss", I popped a card through the door. I don't fly, or have a passport. I'm actually going away next week,first holiday in almost 17 years,UK. It's a sort of pilgrimage,to where DH grew up.

I don't send any Christmas cards except to my mum, my brother and my oldest friend. I do like birthday cards, especially ones that have obviously been bought with a lot of thought. If I see a nice card in the shop I might buy it and keep it until I find an occasion to send it. I still write letters and cards to people (not typed) which some people find out of date, but I don't care. I do send sympathy cards. My FiL kept the sympathy cards from his wife's passing for decades until he died two years ago. So out of all the types of cards, I think sympathy cards mean the most.

I'd happily never get one again. I open it (usually a few days after the event as it's been sat on the side), read it, it then sits on the side maybe now in the kitchen for a day or so and then goes in the bin. We don't send them. We're honest with our family that they don't need to send them but I think it's been culturally ingrained in the older generation to think it's rude not to send them.

Any I get go straight in recycling. Such a waste of money and resources.

I'm happy not to receive any but would appreciate a message. I rarely send them these days and haven't done Christmas cards for years. Agree they generally go in the recycling after a week and seem a waste of money. I like the wine bottle idea!

I love greetings card. DH bought me a Valentines card this year that I'm going to have framed, it's just so beautiful. I keep special cards in one of those Really Useful boxes and take them out from time to time and read the lovely handwritten messages on, it warms the cockles of my ♥️

but there's no law saying you have to like them, each to their own.

I can't imagine preferring to get the £1 instead - I can't understand that mentality at all.

I personally think they're a waste of money and I'm not fussed about receiving them, but do send them, particularly to my parents who like receiving them. (I'd be happy not to though haha)

Mil insists on sending cards to 'keep the family together'.. she buys them, addresses the envelopes and stamps them and brings them round for husband to sign. It irrationaly infuriates me.

A - if he wanted to send a card to a second cousin as a middle aged man he should do it himself

B - to Fred from James and family is hardly a greeting

Total waste of money and effort.

I don't think I would want the money instead, that is just weird. Like when people say they are giving card money to charity, that is just weird and virtue signalling, just give the money anyway, it's nothing to do with cards.

I love cards, our Christmas cards look very pretty strung around our room at Christmas.
A card with beautiful artwork or a funny one with a personal message is a joy to receive. Especially love getting cards in the post, so good to receive a card in the post to open rather than just bills or junk mail!
Small pleasures and I think sending a card is a thoughtful thing to do.
I always send birthday and Christmas cards and exchange valentine and anniversary cards with DH.

It’s interesting to get different opinions, and of course I realise that some people like getting cards.

This 👆makes no sense to me tho. I use an automobile daily (only I call it a car), so does that mean in some way I am not allowed to be vegan, recycle, reduce my usage of things (like top-quality paper and card), buy secondhand clothes? Because I drive I cannot do anything to help the environment?

I am under no illusions that cards are the main issue for the planet, don’t worry. But at least not sending them in the first place does a bit more that recycling them. I’m not in any way smug about my environmental contribution tho.

The green thing is not my main issue with cards really. And so so rarely are they well chosen with a thoughtful message inside as some suggest. As a rule someone has taken 30 seconds to write "from John". Ime anyway.

Goodness, do you object to all celebration and fun?

Re the money – I don't really expect people to PayPal me £2 instead of sending me a birthday card. It was kind of a joke. It would be more useful tho!

I like to receive cards and enjoy buying and sending them, though I agree fewer people have the habit.

I don't care about greeting cards at all unless it's an actual one through the post where I haven't seen the person in a while.

they do make the house look messy and cluttered

I write my 'letters' inside cards.

Obviously a card with nothing but To xxx, From yyy is pretty pointless.

I don't know. I still have cards that were written to me from my grandparents that have since passed away. There is something special about those cards, the thought that went into choosing that particular one and their handwriting inside.

They do make the house look messy and cluttered

Yes, this. I can't bear the untidiness of them.

I don't mind so much at Christmas, when the decorations and tree are up. That's quite a nice clutter.

Totally agree. I only send cards to a few older generation friends who I know like them.
I never display any I receive and it is just a massive waste.