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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To recycle Christmas cards as soon as I open

147 replies

lovemenorca · 17/12/2019 18:05

I open them and immediately put them in the recycling bin. I can’t bear the clutter! They make a lovely cosy Christmassy room look like a primary school classroom IMO

Am I alone?

I feel a little guilty, but I always read and enjoy the sentiment, but actually displaying.... no chance

Ps and I send 4 myself (to aged relatives - it really seems important to them hence why I do it, and enclose a photo of the children) , and would take no offence whatsoever to discover they too are recycled!

OP posts:

Thread gallery

Sidge · 17/12/2019 19:20

@thatmustbenigelwiththebrie I find that really sad (and rude!). People have gone to the effort to write and post a card to you and you don’t even open it?

RuggerHug · 17/12/2019 19:21

Jesus, some right scrooges here.

PepePig · 17/12/2019 19:21

I think its disrespectful to just bin a card like that. Someone spent their money picking and buying a card, time writing it, and more money/effort posting it to you. The least you could do is look at it for two weeks. Plus it's even more of a huge fucking waste environmentally to not even look at something a tree has been cut down for.

Just tell people you bin their cards. Job sorted. No one will send you any next year.

Mia1415 · 17/12/2019 19:23

YABVU and I hope you are not someone that I take the time to pick a card for, buy stamps for, write a message to & then post a card to.

cardibach · 17/12/2019 19:25

I don’t like cards. It’s not the clutter issue as I’m terminally messy. I just don’t like them. I stopped sending them at Christmas years ago and it has gradually reduced the number of cards I receive. I don’t really display any, unless the picture is really lovely when they might stand on the bookshelf in front of the books for a bit.

RedRosie · 17/12/2019 19:27

Dear Oh Dear. Bah humbug. Miserable buggers.

I like them. And I'm not even that old. We recycle ours as gift tags for the following year.

myself2020 · 17/12/2019 19:29

Why is it unreasonable to chuck them? i didn’t ask form them, most are - for my taste - incredibly ugly. i only open them because sometimes people put a photo in it, or written more than “merry christmas”. i only send some to elderly relatives i don’t see very often (and from whom i know they like to receive them).

MsChatterbox · 17/12/2019 19:34

My dad uses the front of Christmas cards as gift labels. I don't think uabi but maybe you could consider this. Just don't send the same one back!

Clymene · 17/12/2019 19:36

You should tell people not to bother if you care about the environment so much.

Dear X,

Thanks for your card. As I'm trying to cut down on environmental waste, I would prefer not to receive any birthday or Christmas cards ever again.

Yours,

Scrooge

Clymene · 17/12/2019 19:37

How is it more environmentally friendly to put them straight in the recycling bin than to display them and then put them in the bin after?

troutknickers · 17/12/2019 19:38

Right bunch of miseries on here!

Original poster

lovemenorca · 17/12/2019 19:41

* Plus it's even more of a huge fucking waste environmentally to not even look at something a tree has been cut down for.*

This made me laugh out loud.
Makes absolutely no sense whatsoever

OP posts:

MIdgebabe · 17/12/2019 19:42

If people don't like them, they don't like them. It's not be8ng miserable to throw them out direct. Telling people they should display them It is forcing your idea of right and wrong and forced enjoyment .

Yes, try to discourage sending in the first place, but there is no obligation to display them if you don't want to in your own house.

SabineUndine · 17/12/2019 19:43

I don't get or send them any more but I used to pin them to a broad piece of red ribbon (hung vertically). They looked very naice.

Rystall · 17/12/2019 19:46

Of all the wasteful things we do at Christmas, cards are the least problematic. At least they can be recycled. A lot of the food, all the crackers & eventually all of the toys will end up in the bin.

I am the definition of minimalist but will always display Christmas cards. I presume those who immediately throw away cards also don’t ‘do’ decorations or trees? Otherwise the clutter argument doesn’t make sense. Also agree that it’s arguably more wasteful not to display them.

As for the PP who doesn’t even open the cards - how utterly rude and devoid of class you are.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 17/12/2019 19:51

The point of a Christmas card is to send festive wishes to someone. They receive the card and wishes. The length of time they keep the card is irrelevant. The purpose has been fulfilled.

FrownPrincess · 17/12/2019 19:57

I love Christmas cards so much that if I am sent an exceptionally nice one I keep it and display it the following year too!

As I have been doing this for a few years now, I have quite a collection, and some of them were sent to me by people who are no longer with us. I like having their good wishes on display, and remembering the good times we shared.

Spamantha · 17/12/2019 19:59

I recycle immediately too. Always have with birthday cards. Used to stick Xmas cards on a shelf but pets keep knocking them down so I've given up and recycle those too.

mediumbrownmug · 17/12/2019 20:07

YABU. I feel that one of the obligations that comes with having friends and family who care for you enough to choose, spend money on, hand write a note inside, stamp and then post a Christmas card, is that you should keep their card up for a week or two in the run up to Christmas before recycling it.

EmmiJay · 17/12/2019 20:26

Damn thats mean. Why not just send out a mass text stating no cards because you'll recycle them immediately? Save some people a couple of quid instead of wasting it.

Horehound · 17/12/2019 20:35

Hmm I think it's a bit miserly to out them out straight away. You can buy those cars holders which hold like 50 cards in one small area so doesn't clutter your whole room

I just sent cards, cost a lot of money in postage but I spent time writing a nice message to spread Christmas cheer and let them know we are thinking if them etc. I would feel a bit sad if I knew they were put in the bin straight away.
To the person who says they don't even open them...yeh right. Don't believe you.

Time40 · 17/12/2019 20:35

I chuck all birthday cards for me straight in the recycling

Ah, just you wait until you're so old that no one sends you birthday cards anymore. I got two this year. It hurts.

Horehound · 17/12/2019 20:36

And yes I agree if you don't want cards then just say that? Save on the waste that you are so offended by. .

stickerqueen · 17/12/2019 20:37

i love xmas cards but seem to recieve less and less each year.
Cards we do get get pinned up in the passage so everyone can see them when they step in my flat. I also display cards from relatives and friends that have passed on.

Horehound · 17/12/2019 20:40

Op is your username a place you like to visit?
Bit hypocritical going in about environment and waste if you fly anywhere or basically so anything that isn't necessary.

It's always funny when people go on about waste and the environment of things they deem wasteful etc but are ignorant to things they do themselves...

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