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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To dislike this Christmas card trend

76 replies

feliznavidadatodos · 23/12/2016 12:21

Family/baby photo shoots that are then sent as the images on Christmas cards.

I know it's the done thing in America and has been for years but I just don't like it.

My friend from work spent a fortune on a photo shoot for her DS and his pictures are emblazoned all over the Xmas card. My DH asked whose baby it was and said he found it strange that there was a child he didn't know staring back at him in his living room.

AIBU to think just buy some cards instead of spending the best part of £1000 on photo shoots and getting cards made?

I know I'm probably BU

OP posts:
CaraAspen · 23/12/2016 17:47

Ye gods

ASpiderInTheManger · 23/12/2016 17:52

One of our neighbours hat we hardly know sent us one of these - a photo shoot picture which clearly cost a bomb with a picture of their naked baby tangled in Christmas lights ShockConfused. Most random thing ever.

lljkk · 23/12/2016 17:54

I am a fan. Grinches the Lot of Yuz

FeralCat · 23/12/2016 17:58

I found it a little odd when I got the first 'family newsletter' in the christmas card from my husbands family, and pictures of your children or the family on the card seems odder to me.

But then it doesn't really do any harm and it's their money. I'll stick to buying a multipack of cards with a design I don't hate is all.

Original poster
feliznavidadatodos · 23/12/2016 18:13

I know the shoot cost a bomb because she was quite open about it. She bought all the pictures and prints (including canvasses etc) I kind of know her (not really well) and my husband doesn't know her at all so that's why he was a bit Hmm at who the random child was on the Christmas card.

OP posts:
Original poster
feliznavidadatodos · 23/12/2016 18:14

I think I've probably stretched the truth by calling her a friend. Probably more of an aquaintance.

OP posts:
Squiff85 · 23/12/2016 18:20

I think your husbands attitude is very odd!

Amethyst81 · 23/12/2016 18:52

I would give them to close family and those I know would definitely like them but not neighbours or colleagues, I can't imagine they would want my kids pics on their mantelpiece.

AlcoChocs · 23/12/2016 18:57

Seems a bit egotistical. Surely the point of a card is to send good wishes, happy christmas etc to the person who'll get the card.
If the card has a family photo on the front it makes it more about you than the recipient.
You can easily put a photo inside for those that want them.

spankhurst · 23/12/2016 19:07

I think it's a bit tacky and self-absorbed.

Rockpebblestone · 23/12/2016 19:15

Aw, when my DC was small I used to take a snap of them wearing their nativity costume or similar and make it into a card to send to relatives. My Nan loved these cards!

Hobbes8 · 23/12/2016 19:21

Have you read about the last unmarried daughter who was cut out of the family Christmas card photo so decided to send out her own:
www.buzzfeed.com/johnc4197e36ba/my-sister-in-laws-lonely-christmas-cards-16imt?utm_term=.lorX9vgE2P#.uuE6wQM3a9

Original poster
feliznavidadatodos · 23/12/2016 20:05

squiff

Really? I don't. He doesn't want a child he's never known to be staring at him from the mantel piece 😂

OP posts:
Rainbunny · 23/12/2016 20:09

I have been silently ranting about the family-photo Christmas cards trend too OP! I like to save Christmas cards each year and place them round the house to add to the Christmas festiveness... except that all I get now are smug photo cards of my friends and family which mostly I've seen plenty of times on Facebook. My real gripe is that they don't seem very festive and look sort of tacky so I stick a few on the fridge at best. I much prefer good old fashioned cards with Christmas scenes on them. I'm sure I'm in a scrooge-like minority on this though.

987flowers · 23/12/2016 20:20

I made 5 of these for family members! Now wondering if they'll hate them, I used photos I had taken and thought that my aunts and grandparents would enjoy seeing pictures of my children. Didn't cost me a lot and I wouldn't just send to friends but I didn't think that it was much different to me sending a photo in the card like I usually do!

Original poster
feliznavidadatodos · 23/12/2016 20:23

I get why people do it for family members but for work friends and even just friends I think it's a OTT.

I can see why people like it though

OP posts:
LaPampa · 23/12/2016 20:50

I like them. I prefer them to a crap Christmas card with nothing but a signature in. I like to see what people have been up to& actually enjoy reading people's newsletters about their year (semi close friends and relations). I wouldn't send one to a neighbour though, just a normal card. the photo cards are the only ones I keep on the fridge, the rest get taken down and recycled as soon as possible

Callaird · 23/12/2016 20:59

Eek! I do this every year with my charge, I love photography and have a very good camera, I dress him up, have a back drop and loads of accessories, make him pose for loads of photos, thankfully he does love to pose, choose the best 2/3 and then make them into photo cards (wrapping paper, gift tags) for his parents and immediate family and god parents.

They all seem to quite like it, I've seen the photos up in various houses over the years, even in the middle of summer.

I didn't realise people didn't like it.

Rainbunny · 23/12/2016 21:11

Well just like other people's kids are not as interesting as your own, other people's cute/smug family photo cards are not as interesting unless it's your own family. If Facebook didn't exist, such photo-cards would have more rarity value and I'd probably like them in those circumstances but Facebook very much exists and I see hundreds of pictures of friends and family all year long. At Christmas, I'd just prefer a crappy card with a bloody Christmas tree on it. Bah humbug!

Original poster
feliznavidadatodos · 23/12/2016 22:36

It's funny, I asked my friends on whatsapp tonight (hope they don't read mumsnet) and one said she'd received a card a couple of years ago with a gaggle of children on it and scrawled signature and she's still not sure who the children are or who the card is from.

OP posts:
1horatio · 23/12/2016 22:59

I think they're nice. It's great to see what nephews and nieces and distant cousins etc are doing. And they are great conversation starters imo.

I do think they're also more personal than animal charity cards (which is what we've been doing...)

nicelyneurotic · 23/12/2016 23:24

I love getting those cards and I keep them! Usually only from relatives in the US and Australia so of children I rarely see.
Wouldn't do it myself mainly because I'm lazy.