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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To send Christmas cards with a picture of the DCs on?

121 replies

CruCru · 09/12/2013 17:08

Older relatives and friends of our parents like to get a photo of the kids. However I think some people think it's poncy.

OP posts:
dementedma · 09/12/2013 21:42

I put a snap in a card for elderly rellies who don't see the dcs often but don't actually make a card. This years photo on profile!
Got a gushy round robin letter last year from a couple in Canada describing their wonderful daughters who are " beautiful inside and out"

Hulababy · 09/12/2013 22:06

But I don't think it is really much different to sending a card with your child's drawing on really. Both are saying 'look how great my dc is' in some way.

MissBattleaxe · 09/12/2013 23:25

Just got two cards today from friends with pics of Dc on them. I am obv super naff as I love them, and much prefer them to normal cards. Think suggesting they are self aggrandising is frankly depressing at a time of year when we celebrate the people we love!

Agree.

It would be self aggrandising to put yourself on a card, but not send one of your children to people who also love them.

-and yes it is Christmas and Christmas is about love not sneering at the cards your friends send you.

MurderOfGoths · 09/12/2013 23:34

We do it for close family and select friends (close enough friends that they are almost family anyway).

Wouldn't send them to anyone else though.

intitgrand · 09/12/2013 23:37

Apart from GPs who else would want pics of your kids on display?

FreudiansSlipper · 09/12/2013 23:39

i think it is nice

have cute ones from my friends last year i have kept them

BillyBanter · 09/12/2013 23:42

Another who says choose your audience wisely and/or put a photo in a normal card for only those who you think would actively want one.

MisguidedHamwidge · 10/12/2013 00:34

I think it sounds like a lovely idea, especially with a young baby. I'm not keen on Christmas cards generally, I find them dull and repetitive but I would like them a lot more if they all had family photos on. Much more interesting than the generic "robin on a branch" shot.

sandfrog · 10/12/2013 00:41

Why not just send a picture to people if they ask for one?

Caitlin17 · 10/12/2013 00:47

Sorry but awful. You can put photographs in for those that want them.

CuriosityCola · 10/12/2013 08:09

Well, I visited a friend this week and she was delighted with the pic of my boys. I had just slipped the photo in the card for us to have a giggle at and it's already been put in a wee frame.

I think you just have to know your audience. I have another friend with serious conception problems and I know she won't want one.

Also, it's a hell of a lot cheaper than grandma, sil, dsis, mum, dad cards. I just bought a cheap pack of 8 from mothercare that you slide the pics into. A few close friends got one slipped inside the card.

I don't think I would want one of older kids, like the collage, unless it was a close family member.

VonHerrBurton · 10/12/2013 08:12

Yep, choose your audience wisely, that's a good mantra.

My mum, age 70, would love it. Of anyones dc. She loves kids and unless super-staged would display it and coo and boo over random children. Our caribbean and American relatives all send them.

I however, think they're naff naff naff and make me cringe and toe curl. I think its because they arrive with a round robin each, talking about x's 'law firm and house in Tuscany, just a small place - but a big project!!!' DFOD.

Ticktock80 · 10/12/2013 08:19

OP we send out a family card with us all on it. Same pose, Christmas jumpers and hats! Every year. For us it started as a crappy fun idea, it's meant to be naff and cheesy and is there for a laugh. On the plus side we see year on year how the kids have grown and I now love our little tradition. We only send them to close family though. But it's fun!

Sunnysummer · 10/12/2013 08:28

I love them from absolutely anyone, seeing pictures of families is so much more interesting than boring samey snowmen, and it makes me feel closer to people I rarely see. Little children are cute, and then seeing them grow into loutish teens is even funnier.

However I would never dare send them ourselves (even with a non-cheesy non-professional photo), as lots of our family are sniffy about them. Hmm

Round robins are horrible, though.

pigletmania · 10/12/2013 08:30

I love them, better than some generic Christmas picture. Especially of its from close family

LaurieFairyCake · 10/12/2013 08:33

I'm dying to do a naff and cheesy one with the grumpy teenager, old/blind dog, cat with diarrhoea, a chicken - all wearing elf hats

It would be bloody hilarious

TinyTear · 10/12/2013 08:34

I do it, last year DD dressed as a reindeer (11 months) and this year as a dancing snowman (22 months)

Hate hate hate round robins though... boastful things...

justtoomessy · 10/12/2013 08:39

I'm doing a piss take one with me and son in matching christmas jumpers the idea being to be as naff as possible. I'm not a fan of christmas cards at all but I get moaned at for not sending them so I am this year Grin

nomorecrumbs · 10/12/2013 08:45

I think it's great, especially when they are little and growing so fast so you can keep them and see how they change. I used to get one from the US of my baby cousin, and I'd love it if my friends did this with their two DC's.

SomethingOnce · 10/12/2013 08:45

Do it, and add a round robin letter too. The smugger the better. People love those Grin

nagynolonger · 10/12/2013 09:01

I wouldn't send picture Christmas cards to everyone but as a grandparent I would love one of the DGC. The DGC are still toddlers and babies and at this stage uncles and aunts are asking for pictures too. So I'm guessing they wouldn't mind picture cards.

I'm sending picture card of the little ones to their great aunts and uncles and picture cards of local views taken in last years snow to everyone else. Maybe it is a bit naff but I have enjoyed doing them so I don't really care.

Spacecraft · 10/12/2013 09:02

I had a customer once who sent one of him, his trophy wife and their Rolls standing in front of their country pile. If I got one, he must have sent a lot of those cards

traininthedistance · 10/12/2013 09:05

chirpchirp that's a great pic with the lights!

diddl · 10/12/2013 09:06

If it's people you know would like a photo-send them!

Can they keep it as a photo afterwards iyswim?

One of the worst cards I had was "artwork" by a friends kid.

Made into a card with name & age.

TBH, I'd rather have had a pic of him to see what he looked like!

pumpkinsweetie · 10/12/2013 09:18

I send these out to close family every year, much better than a bog standard card with a robbin on it and i always get positive complements on mine.

Cards imho are boring anyway and i would prefer these sent to myself rather than a run off the mill one which will be thrown out in the new year.