I send christmas cards every other year and nobody has noticed so far!

[crystalglasses]

It started a few years ago when everything got on top of me and I just didn't have time to send out any cards. We still got our full complement of cards though. Some years a few people have mentioned that they hadn't received any from us, and I've just told them I hadn't sent out any that year as I'd run out of time. Noody seesm to mind and so I've continued doing it - saves me time and money.

I'm the same. Everyone who knows me, knows I want them to have a good christmas and new year.

Oh God - Christmas cards. I bloody hate them. I only do it to please my mum and MIL as they would only die with embarrassment/write their own on behalf of us if I didn't. For some reason I find it very stressful. I also think it's a total waste of money and bad for the environment. You raise a good point OP. There are the stalwarts that get them delivered first class by Dec 1 year in and year out and those friends who just don't bother: I feel no different towards either camp. Yet year after year I get sucked into this dastardly tradition...

They either -
a) think they've been lost in the post
b) love you so much they don't need one back
or
c) hate you and don't care

I suspect it's either a or b cos you sound lovely hehe

I think I'll send a note with next year's lot saying that we're going to donate the money to charity instead. I'm fed up wasting money on buying cards and stamps, not to mention the time it takes to write the damn things out and address them... it's a busy time of year for me (I'm halfway through 50 end of term reports for school) but still wrote out all my cards this year. When I ask OH to help, he whinges that his writing is horrid (it's not that bad) and refuses. Grrr!

Would it be unreasonable to use the money as a charity donation instead?

Backward - I sent out an email a couple of years back explaining I'd donated £20 to charity in lieu of cards. I got so much flak - being called a killjoy etc etc - that I've never done it since.

Yeah, that's what I'm worried about cupcake

sigh

I suppose I'll just be writing them again next year...

The thing is that I really do like getting everybody's cards every year as most people include a little message updating us on what's been going on in their lives - so if I just made an announcement that I was never going to send another card, I would probably drop off their list. I also like buying the cards - it's just the tedium of writing out tones of addresses.
Having said that, this year I haven't received a card from an old friend who has always, without fail, posted them out on the 1st of December. We haven't spoken for years but I've always thought of her as someone who I will look up 'when I have time'. Not receiving a card has got me worried that something has happened to her. Alternatively she may have pruned her christmas card list. Whatever the reason I will be phoning her up after Christmas to find out how she is.

I barely do Christmas cards now. I used to send them to all the neighbours, work colleagues, practically everyone I had an address for...

I now have a policy of not giving a card to anyone I will see in the fortnight before Christmas (and that includes most family). I do 'special' cards for family I won't see around Christmas and then only reciprocate a card as and when one comes in for everyone else. Usually only the ones where the sender has written something extra and I am pleased to write a bit extra back (generally people that are not facebook friends). My total is down to about 15. .