AIBU to expect a Christmas card that isn't from a 'pack of five' from close family?

[SurferJet]

I know cards can be expensive, but it's only once a year & I'd like to think I'm getting a card that's had a bit more thought behind it.

AIBU?

I sent photo cards this year so you can judge me for that I love photo cards - especially from overseas family, I don't get man but we always keep them - the rest go in the bin

I love photo cards from American relatives where they're all gussied up in matching outfits.

Good for a snorty giggle.

I'd like to see cards that say:

"to a special cunt at Christmas"

"to my unemployed friend"

"to a newly-divorced sister"

"to a pervy uncle"

etc etc

Like this one freespirit?

I'm not speaking to DH at the moment, so I'd quite like one along the lines of 'Husband. You're OK when you're not being a dick', preferably printed on cheap paper and standing up 2 inches high.

I know a fair few people who now donate £10 or so to charity instead of sending any cards at all, and personally I'd think that was a far nicer thing to do than a card. Less waste, going to a good cause, what's not to like.

For Mitzy Huntsman family christmas card. We used to get this every year at work as they were one of our customers

I think you've confused thought with money OP.

YABU

Haha Mitzy, needs more tinsel, but otherwise that's perfect!

We also receive cards from US relatives featuring themselves. They're usually wearing ski suits.

We never gave cards to close family when I was growing up so I'm always slightly baffled by them. PILs have posted us a "To our wonderful son and daughter in law" card and we're bloody seeing them on the day - I can't get my head around it.

What has wound me up ridiculously though is SIL's card being addressed to "Mr Fred Bloggs and family". FFS - I've been with DH for nearly 20 years, I'm the mother of his children - but yet I'm "and family"?

Oh, bless you OP. I love cards too, and I see lots of lovely individual ones but they really are very expensive. I do put a lot of thought into the packs I buy and try to match the different designs up with whoever I'm sending them to. I'm pretty sure my neighbours aren't getting the same as my mum, for example.

DH and DD are the only ones to get individual cards from me.

I think it's a generation thing isn't it?

My mum is very into these cards, she spends a fortune every year on them (which is odd when she's normally incredibly tight fairly careful with money).

I only buy them for her and my dad now; everyone else gets a generic card. Even those I have cut right back on, it just hit me this year what a massive waste of money they are, they're a pain in the arse to sit & write, then they get in the way for a couple of weeks, then they go in the bin/recycling

With the exception of the very gracious op, I think it's an intelligence thing. Surely anyone with any wit about them would realise that the printing of 'daughter' 'uncle' on a generic card is not worth the extra pounds and does not in any way demonstrate strength of feeling.

SirChenjin what has your poor husband done to incur your wrath?

I send cards with aunt/uncle etc on from my DD to members of my family (too young to make them) and mum/sister ones from me. I buy from Card factory or in sales so not expensive. I always write something extra inside. I only buy small presents (max £10) so the cards are important to me. I would never send a special card if we were spending Christmas day together.

I received a card from a distant aunt this morning with 'across the miles' on. It was nice to see the extra effort she had made.

My DH sends cards from a pack to his family members. They hand them over with the presents on christmas or boxing day which I think is weird.

but horses for courses and all that.

Squoosh - he breathed. He may also have asked me if my period was due (which it is, but of course I'm not giving him the satisfaction of knowing that)

My XH family were into these 'named' cards, I stopped after I spent £51 in whsmith one year just on family cards.

Dh and I bought soppy cards when we first met about 20years ago as a kind of kitsch consciously vomitacious act (like calling each other snooklebum or similar) ; they live in the Christmas box and come out every year. We also have Valentine cards from the same year which we also reuse.

I am giving hand painted cards this year to several friends who have sent photos to my phone of things they like- I have used the pics as a reference for the mini paintings. At least they are properly individual and unique- hopefully a nice surprise.

Seriously?!!!!

I'm afraid when I get a christmas card I look at it for about four seconds, think 'what a waste of money that was' and ... well, I would throw it away, but DH is a big softie so I stick it on a shelf for a bit. And then throw it away.

Call me a grinch but the whole thing is a farce.

The thing that pisses me off most of ALL is that people who I'm about to see over Christmas anyway go to all the trouble and postage stamp expense of sending me a card and all they write in it is 'To Rafter, love Rafter's PILs'. That's IT. Why bother?!?!

Did everyone else miss the fact that NerrSnerr got a wedding present from her PIL's dog? And the fact that the PIL send themselves a Christmas card FROM THE DOG???

I think it's a generation thing isn't it?

Not round here it isn't. I'm 62. DH is 67. Our dms were in their mid 80s when they died and my gm would be 135 if she were still alive. Not a one of us have ever (or would ever) send a 'named card'. So not. Not an entirely generation thing I think you'll find but certainly inclined to be a 'specific to this family' sort of malarkey.

YABU
Dh and I buy a special card for our mums. Everyone else gets the same one from a huge pack.

SirChenJin I think he knows

I used to send individual named cards, but found that I could get much nicer ones in packs from the likes of John Lewis or m&s so have started doing that instead. Some of the named cards are really naff or sickly sweet so a pretty card from a pack can be much nicer IMHO.