AIBU to think that the annual Christmas Card tradition is dying out?

[EverySongbirdSays]

I'm 35 and it feels like Christmas Cards are becoming a thing of the past

More and more now people will just status update on Christmas day

"Merry Christmas to all etc"

Buying, writing and posting 50+ Christmas Cards just seems like so mus effort and a waste of paper and money.

There was I think in the past a lot of nostalgia value around cards relatives or friends you mightnt have seen in years, and you were pondering to yourself 'I wonder how Louise is? Gosh those were the days in uni, I'll send a card at Christmas and she'll know I still think of her"

Only with Facebook culture I don't need to ponder how Louise is, I know she's teaching in Herts and has a baby.

I had a brief chat yesterday with an old friend I haven't seen in over a decade who lives in London as she had just been to see a film. There isn't that sense of urgency to send a card just to keep in touch.

Of course I'll hand out a couple of cards to my immediate/closest friends and family, and a few coworkers, but I'll probably d less than 10. Not loads as I might've done with people I don't really see if not for the invention of Facebook.

It does seem a shame that it's a dying tradition but I'm not too bothered as it does feel quite wasteful in some ways.

AIBU?

Meant to add - my gran used to get hundreds. Her fireplace would be covered - the ones from family, and handmade ones by her grandchildren would get to go on the mantle, the rest got hung on strings, taped to the sides, propped up on the floor next to it.

I think they will be a thing of the past because of the cost of postage. I have cut right down, and send less every year. I think it is a shame. A card and a letter was one of the best things about Christmas.

I send/give around 10 a year and receive about the same.

I am on social media but barely use it - mostly whatsapp. I like sending and receiving them.

We all write in a large one at work and donate cards and stamp money to local hospice - parents and siblings get special card - I always feel guilty recycling cards too

I'd love to stop sending them as they are a waste of trees, but have a lot of elderly relatives who I visit with a card and small gift in December. Wouldn't feel right turning up without a card. I would hate to upset anyone at that age.
I have cut down on other more random people that I used to work with years ago and haven't seen for decades.

I donate the money (cost if cards plus postage) to charity.

I decided several years ago that Christmas cards were a wate of time, money, effort, trees & ink so stopped sending them to all & sundry, but I still send a few to elderly relatives who I know will send them to me.

No cards, no decorations, no turkey. It's all very festive in our house....

Oh I love sending and receiving Christmas cards even though I know I'm a dying breed. We send anywhere between 20-30.

Not only that but we have personalised stationery that we always use for things like "thank you for the lovely wine" if we hosted a dinner party or something. It's such a nice touch rather than a text message, or nothing at all!

I work in a junior school, so I write one for every child in 'my' year, as well as ones for colleagues. I put one through neighbours' doors and I send to our elderly relatives who we don't see very often. For close family, I tend to give a handmade card when I see them over Christmas. Last year I only posted about 15. I begrudge the cost of stamps as the postal service, ime, has really deteriorated over the past ten years or so. I also have parcels to send and I use a courier rather than the royal mail.

I've stopped because we were spending the best part of £100 a year on them (both dh and I have large families and are currently living overseas). We send a personalised email (not a cheesy round robin though!) including a recent family photo.

Last year I sent only to MT parents and my sister because we live a long way from them and won't see them.

Other than that I sent none at all and that is how it will stay from now onwards.

I used to send about 30 - 40 if them. It was a terrible chore. Tedious and expensive. I wouldn't miss them if they did die out.

*my parents. Not MT!!!

I haven't bothered writing any out for years now. They're pointless and annoying as far as I'm concerned.

I make mine and write individualised messages. Investment of time is the important thing and the sense that I value people enough to spend the time making them and writing in them.

I get less than I receive - but then I don't give to receive. Probably make/send 60ish.

I am a bit of an arse about Xmas cards. I never send them, as I feel that they are a waste of money and resources. But I love getting them and put them up as part of my decorations :o

Hate Christmas cards - I don't even open most of mine tbh. Waste of time and money - plus I don't put up decorations so it seems a bit pointless to have some crappy card from a variety box!

I love sending and receiving cards. I actively enjoy choosing,writing and posting them. I have a collection of the ones my daughter has designed over the years,the sort that are printed to raise money for school.DH is a keen photographer and I have cards made with snow scenes and winter wildlife. Clearly I'm in a minority here.

I'm just starting to wonder what to do...

Last year I sent about 100 cards
DH is quite adamant that we should keep sending them, but I'm thinking I'll have a 'quiet cull' and just send them to older people with whom I have no FB contact!

I understand the reasons for the decline but feel sad as my family have a game based on Christmas cards and it won't survive if people don't send them. For me that would ruin Christmas!

We still send and receive about 50 of them there's something nice about snuggling up in front of a Christmas movie with my address book and fountain pen and writing cards. I have a wire holder on the mantelpiece so they aren't cluttering the house up, and they are recycled into gift tags/stamps saved for charity.

Elderly relatives only for me. So, my grandad, the one surviving one!

I don't see the point, they are just messy and expensive for what they are.

Yes and thank God. A waste of money, effort and resources. I won't normally even send birthday cards now, unless it's to someone who truly values cards (normally only DM and DF). DH hates sending them and hates receiving them more.

I hope not! I love choosing and writing Christmas cards. I love that for a few weeks a year there is a lovely card in the post each day! Well there used to be.... the last two years despite sending them I have received fewer back.

Lots of friends opting for a generic message on Facebook, often with a promise to donate £10 to charity instead. I buy my cards direct from a Charity and they cost a fortune but that is my donation.

I am sad that this year I probably wont receive many cards. Particularly as the generation that always sent them is slowly disappearing. Elderly relatives.

I will carry on sending them though, no doubt they will be a quaint old fashioned tradition before long. Oh yes, the reason postage is so much now is because people don't post anymore! They send e-mails so the price of stamps will go up!

(I am only 41 by the way not quite an elderly relative yet! :-)

complete waste of time, money and trees - if people want to send a written message to others once a year, why not just a letter? I notice that the purchase, writing and sending of them almost inevitably is done by women, including those for dp/dh's family.

It'll be dying out in my house this year as I have lost my address book - although probably just owning an address book is something that is dying out too.

The older I get the more people on my Christmas card list are dead (parents' old friends etc) - I find the process quite upsetting now.