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Original poster

To have chucked all my christmas cards in the bin?

80 replies

HerlockSholmes · 22/12/2013 18:00

basically i have a tiny living room with no furniture on which to sit cards. i have taken all ds' nursery cards and neighbour ones down from the wall stringy thing and put family cards up there and one ds made as there wasn't room for all of them.

i decided there was no point in keeping a pile of random cards from people i dont even speak to that often so have chucked them, mum says this was mean of me but ive been trying to declutter and keep the housr looking nice for christmas, whats the difference between binning them and shoving them in a drawer, really?

OP posts:
Original poster
HerlockSholmes · 22/12/2013 23:12

so general consemsus seems to be pretty split.

can i assure everyone that i not "joyless". i did read the cards, i appreciate that people have taken the time to write them but many of them dont even have our names on. one even said "to herlock and kid" so i don't think those people were really thinking of us all that much, since they can't even remember my son's name.

i have one bare wall in the living room which is taken up by photos and the string. the rest have windows/doors/christmas tree taking them up. it is genuinely tiny.

i think HEC summed it up pretty well really.

OP posts:
Lucylouby · 22/12/2013 23:21

My mum thinks displaying Christmas cards is a waste of time and looks cluttered, but still sends loads of them out and as actually commented that we haven't sent her a card this year. Apparently ours would have been displayed as we are important and special to her. Hmm

PeriodFeatures · 23/12/2013 00:22

Well I like them, it is a way to keep in touch with cousins, old friends and other family that live all over the country and overseas. People that we might only actually see every few years. It keeps up contact when everyone has really busy lives. I have sent a few cards to say cheers to people who have been really great this year, stepped in when i've needed help with DD etc.

I am now wondering whether many of those people aren't that bothered. But you know what, i don't really care.

Original poster
HerlockSholmes · 23/12/2013 08:08

Periodfeatures, i agree with you. Cards are a lovely way of keeping in touch with friends and family who live further away, a nice way to wrote to people you can't spend time with over christmas, those are the cards i have kept and bothered about. and like you i sent about three outwith family to people who have been supportive or even just friendly throughout the year.

i have not bothered about or sent cards to people who don't even speak to me if they pass me in the street, haven't bothered to learn my name, but have sent a card to "no. 30 and family". those are the ones that went, to make room for the ones that did actually have some meaning.

OP posts:
RooneyWanderingStara · 23/12/2013 08:19

I have started to open mine and put them in the recycling, if they are from people I never see, don't really care too much about, and communicate with by email mainly. Unless the card is particularly nice or special.

The children want ALL theirs up permanently but they will probably grow out of it!

I do display ones from close family and friends, or ones I really like. But some - once the token message is received then they have no real purpose.

HopelessCaseNumeroUno · 23/12/2013 08:32

I'm going to put loads of ours in recycling bin today, I've ran out of places to put them and they keep getting knocked over. They look a mess and I don't want them to look messy in all our photos on Christmas day. I'll keep from close friends and family, double check the others for updated addresses and things then they are gone.

coldwater1 · 23/12/2013 09:33

All my childrens school xmas cards are hung up with bluetac in the hallway... Over 100 cards!! That way living room remains tidy and kids are happy that their cards are up.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 23/12/2013 09:42

I don't think you're unreasonable although I would let DS have his in his room. However, I got these this year and they are a revelation. They take up less space than a string on the wall but you can fit in 60 cards and still see them and they make it look Christmassy.

LucyLasticKnickers · 23/12/2013 09:46

i started a thread which not many people commented, in fact I was called Silly.
but a person I work with with two primary age children said NO ONE in her neck of the woods, sends cards at all!
now that surprised me. She lives in a City.

surely that is the whole part of being in primary school.

Fizziebizzy · 23/12/2013 09:47

Mine go straight in the bin as soon as I receive them. I only keep family cards and put them up.
Ba Humbug !

DeckTheHallsWithBonesAndSkully · 23/12/2013 10:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WhenSarahAndStuckUpTheChimney · 23/12/2013 10:16

Period it's a craft project I've agreed to have a go at ready for next Christmas (I know Xmas Shock but I promised) to make some decorations for a fund raising thing.

I'm fairly sure that I'm going to end up buying them back myself in the end because I'm not sure who's going to really want a string of cut up and sewn together cards.

Especially when people don't seem to want whole cards sent by people they have a vague idea of knowing. But at least it's my head start to next years nice list Xmas Grin

LucyLasticKnickers · 23/12/2013 10:25

we used to re use old christmas cards as a child, cut them up with special scissors and use them as gift tags.

and yabu to throw them away,
recycle them if you cant stand them,

BananaNotPeelingWell · 23/12/2013 10:38

For years I've always stuck them all up (I hate the clutter of them though), but this year they're still in a pile in a cupboard.

I've put up the ones from our parents, but that's all. I wish I had the guts to stop sending them really, although I have cut back a lot.

Most people I know seem to feel the same but we're all programmed to keep doing themConfused

poshfrock · 23/12/2013 10:41

Gift tags. Cut out the nice bits of the card ( star, snowflake, Christmas tree, wording etc) with pinking shears, punch a hole in the corner and thread with ribbon. I made about 80 last year. I can't understand why you would just throw them away. What a waste. If you don't want the gift tags put them in little bundles and sell at the school fair/fete etc. 20p a bundle is still loads cheaper than buying them in the shops.

specialsubject · 23/12/2013 10:44

fine, but might be worth stopping people sending them to you, as at 50p a stamp it is a bit of a waste.

Original poster
HerlockSholmes · 23/12/2013 10:45

i don't see why it was unreasonable to put them in the recycling bin instead of mucking about cutting them up and threading ribbon throught them.

they will still be recycled in the end up.

OP posts:
Original poster
HerlockSholmes · 23/12/2013 10:46

special subject, not one of the cards was posted, tgey were all delivered by hand from people within walki g distance.

the only posted cards were from family which i have kept and displayed.

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Idocrazythings · 23/12/2013 11:46

I have got some easily removable hoops with stickers- the ones that don't make marks or pull off paint and hung some string along the wall close to the ceiling. Then stapled bits of string to each Christmas card and hung them on the string like a bunting. I actually think it looks really nice. Each to their own though I s'pose.

givemeaclue · 23/12/2013 11:47

Yabu. Recycle them.

Idocrazythings · 23/12/2013 11:53

*hooks.

fuckwittery · 23/12/2013 12:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AuntieStella · 23/12/2013 12:08

I think the bit that seems joyless is chucking before Christmas has even started, let alone finished.

MadeOfStarDust · 23/12/2013 12:15

I send to about 20 people and always hand-write something personal in them - I know it is not done by many because EVERYONE comments on the fact that they love to get a card with a cheery message.... we always put ours on strings and the kids stick theirs to the living room door

we do the sewn together thing too - kind-of.... we cut them into triangles (with card scissors - not pinking shears - stay away from my pinking shears!! ) - and sew them to bias binding to make Christmassy bunting - so we have last year's and the year before's cards up too - in a way...

Original poster
HerlockSholmes · 23/12/2013 12:18

ok, so should have made more of an effort to find an alternative way to display them. but really, since i am not going to do so now, does it matter if they are in the bin or wait around in the drawer for a week and then go the same way?

please stop repeating at me to "recycle" them. i have put them in the recycling bin. i have said so at least three times. Xmas Hmm

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