To think Christmas cards are becoming a thing of the past.

[Star4120]

Hi all, bit of a random one.

I have fond memories of my grandmother (she is 80 and still does it now) writing hundreds of Christmas cards for friends, relatives, colleagues (now old colleagues) amongst others. She would literally have piles of them and equally she would have hundreds of cards around her front room at Christmas. She’s always laid them out so neatly but so many 😅

The only cards I seem to have in the house at Christmas are either from older relatives, immediate family and for the kids from the kids friends at school!

I don’t really exchange cards with any of my friends! I write them cards but many of them just don’t do it themselves (which is fine of course!)

So is it becoming more of an old fashioned thing to send cards to everyone you know?

I will be sending out cards to immediate family and a few elderly relatives or family friends as I know they really like it but other than that I probably won’t bother?

Aibu?

6)DH expressed that he thought we should continue sending them about five years ago .... he has written zero cards ever.

Are you married to my DH? He said he thought we should write cards last year. I told him to crack on if he felt so inclined. No cards were sent.

I don't normally send them but am actually planning to this year - I would normally see various family members, lots of friends over Christmas but there are people I won't have seen at all this year because of Covid. I've bought some fun stamps from post office online and have started making cards. I just need to go up to the loft and see how many I have leftover from last year so I know how many to make.

I agree apart from children sending them to their friends

Then they are used

I’ve ordered dc’s cards ready for their friends but I’ve also ordered stickers to stick the envelopes instead of licking them

YABU.

We send over 100 each year - we both have big families who live far away and abroad, and lots of friends who are all over the U.K. Obviously with Covid we’ve hardly seen anyone this year - so sending cards in 2020 makes even more sense!

It’s a lovely tradition, it’s nice to get proper post and our elderly relatives and older family friends especially love it. It spreads a little joy, which is even more important at Christmas time. They also look lovely when they’re up in your house.

I get DH to write the ones to his family and friends when he’s sat next to me on the sofa of an evening - no need to martyr yourself writing them all. Send them second class to make it cheaper, or hand deliver some to neighbours etc.

We receive about as many as we send out; it’s a great tradition and I’ll be very sad if it dwindles.

And I think people who just bin them have very poor manners.

Last year I would have said yes. This year I think they’ll have a bit of a resurgence because people have more time to write them and are keen to connect with friends and they haven’t seen.

I'm not sending any. Hate them.

I send about 50. Get maybe 30 or so, not sure. I like sending them.

We send over 100 each year

Even at second class it's still £65 a year and that's before the cost of the cards. Insane.

This year will be the first year in about 10 years where I am sending them.

I don't send them as I make an effort to see everyone over the festive period so don't think it is necessary - I'd much rather an in person Merry Christmas. However this year we won't be seeing everyone so I think a card is a nice way to let them know we are still thinking about them.

I still send (and receive) them. I think that this year because we haven't been able to see people as often, they are even more important. I send over a hundred and write notes in many. I would hate to see them go.

Maybe it's an age thing?

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

We send over 100 each year

Even at second class it's still £65 a year and that's before the cost of the cards. Insane.

Someone spends it on wine, someone spends it on cards. Why not if they can afford it.

Not completely but I agree that there are less being sent. It would not surprise me if it's the same with birthday cards too.

I stopped in 2006 when I was pregnant and fed up with life, missing out on having mad Xmas parties etc. Thought I’d just have an experiment and see if anyone twigged, and I didn’t send any cards for the first time ever.

Afterwards, I said to a few people a cheery “Hope you got our card ok” and they all said “yes thanks- lovely.”

I vowed I would never send a Christmas card again. Nobody cares, nobody notices.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

We send over 100 each year

Even at second class it's still £65 a year and that's before the cost of the cards. Insane.

I agree. My mum sends loads - she sends and receives around 70 and would be really upset if she didn't get them.

I send fewer and fewer each year - really only to elderly friends and relatives.

I would prefer to get a proper letter. A card that just says "to Cologne, Frankfurt and Munich" love from "London, Dublin and Madrid" seems pretty pointless to me.

I like Christmas cards, I already donate to charity and try to reduce carbon footprint. I've noticed a few acquaintances proclaim they're not doing card because of the waste yet do the living room of plastic tat for their kids, multiple holidays abroad, SUVs, eat meat etc. I think I can spare a few pieces of card now all the plastic glitter has been removed.

This year I wrote them a week or so ago and they're in a bag ready to post in December so no covid risk

@tobedtoMNandfart

I stopped it a few years ago and make a charity donation in lieu. They are ridiculous because: 1) monumental waste of paper, money and resources / environmental impact. 2) who the hell needs more wife work in Dec 3) people want less clutter hanging about 4)Stamps are fucking expensive 5) happy COVID Xmas ... here's a card I've licked 🤣 6)DH expressed that he thought we should continue sending them about five years ago .... he has written zero cards ever. 7) i could go on but you get the idea

^snap! I only do older relatives, aunts/uncles, grandparents. Instead of spending a fortune in cards & stamps I buy stuff for the food bank. It annoys me that people choose & send us glittery cards that aren’t recyclable.

YANBU but I do find it kind of sad.

I still send and receive them. I tend to send them to family, none of whom live anywhere nearby, and old friends.

Over the years the numbers I send (and receive) are reducing as the older generation are dying off. I have labels for the envelopes and every year I review the document before printing them out. I'm glad to say that only one person has had to come off the list this year. A couple of new people have gone onto the list, though, which is encouraging.

I think it is an age thing. I'm nearly 60.
My children (early 20s) don't send any Christmas cards, so I think it is a tradition that will die out.

I used to send cards out but I only give them to family now, even then ive cut it right down. I cant stand cards cluttering the living room up now either, for any occasion

I haven't sent cards to everyone for several years now. I sent only to people that I never see, who live far away, so send maybe 3-4 cards a year now.

Everyone else I either see in person, or wish them a Merry Christmas on facebook.

I donate to the local hospices instead now at the annual Light up a Life service.

who the hell needs more wife work in Dec
In my case it's the only bit of wife work really. DH sorts everything to do with catering, we do presents (all the planning, buying, wrapping) equally. We do decorating together and there's more care and attention to detail that goes into that from him than me.

He also writes the cards for his side of the family mostly. Pretty much the only Xmas job that falls solely to me is writing addresses and posting cards and parcels. But I get a small kick oitnof successfully using the self-service machines in the post office so it's a win!

I think there are two things killing the tradition off. One is the now totally ridiculous cost of postage, and the other is that the design of Christmas cards has changed. They just don't look very festive any more. Lots of them are quite plain, and have a white background - a room full of those just doesn't do it. I want fancy cards with lots of red and green; cards with religious scenes, angels, people in Victorian dress, robins on postboxes, and stage coaches (not all on the same card, obviously ... )

I adore them. I wrote mine 2 weeks ago, 30 cards ready to go, 5 spares/waiting to see if a few people send them to me first!

I'm 30, the majority of mine go to friends & family who expect and reciprocate.

I thought there might be a resurgence this year - I think we'll send them for the first time in a few years; it seems nice to send them to friends that we haven't seen much of or at all this year.

They are a complete waste of resources. Think about how much paper - often not-recyclable as they are covered in glitter and other random shit - and how much c02 is generated sending the stupid things around the world.