To recycle Christmas cards the moment I receive them

[Hellotheresweet]

I open them, read them, Chuck them in recycling.

I just don’t like the clutter and seems odd to set aside space for cards from people I hardly know.

Never binned. Always recycled.

Anyone else so.... brutal!

Why do you get so many from people you “hardly know”?

I have no idea! Lots of old neighbours perhaps? Not about to ask them their motivations!

I put mine up then in the recycling on Boxing Day. I have quite a few elderly relatives who live alone and like to bothe send a card (and I would imagine be thrilled to receive one back).
I live in a street with really nice neighbours and we we receive/send ones from them (and gifts).

I guess it's fine to do whatever you like with cards you receive but to start an AIBU about recycling them the moment you receive them? Mmm.

@luckylavender

I find that so mean spirited. But then I also find it deliberately provocative to put this in AIBU. Your house your rules, why do you feel the need to ask the question of strangers if not 'look at me?'

Goodness, someone needs a coffee this morning and a sit down!

Yep. Same.

@Iggly

I like Christmas cards and will string them up - don’t get me wrong, I’m so relieved clearing down the decorations in jan, but love a bit of sparkle etc at Christmas.

Yabu OP. Such a waste. Maybe say you don’t want cards and give an environmental reason or something instead.

I’m confused Why would displaying them for a couple of weeks and then doing exactly the same not be a waste?

It’s the difference between opening, reading and recycling Or doing that but a time gap of a week or two.

I don't like them either OP but I use them as Christmas decorations. I don't really get any from people I don't care about though.

I got one last week from our department heads at work and it was a lovely surprise (and a nice card) - it sort of depends who the cards are from, but I never just throw them away.

How depressing. I’ve spent hours making individual personalised ones for all my family and friends. I really, really hope you’re not one of them. Actually, I know you’re not, fortunately! And I don’t send them to people I don’t know well - how strange. Perhaps people feel sorry for you!

I don't put them up but keep them in a pile them recycle them after xmas.

I read them, enjoy them, then leave them sitting on a guilty pile on a side table somewhere until I pluck up the courage to recycle them (after pulling off any non-recyclable bits, obv). The only exceptions are photo cards and anything with sentimental value, which go in the memories box.

I suppose I treat them in the same way I would a text message or email.

I have tried displaying them, but we don’t have any good spots and they just end up getting in the way and catching on people as they walk past and requiring constant re-fixing.

I think you’ve given me courage to skip the ‘sitting a guilty pile’ stage and move straight to recycling!

@Hellotheresweet I mean, you’re not really confused, are you OP?

Yes, I think it’s slightly mean spirited to chuck a card in the recycling bin immediately on receiving it (I don’t send cards but I’d imagine people send them so you can look at it and be reminded that someone thought of you at Christmas) but honestly no one gives a shit (or would even know if you hadn’t posted this thread) what you do in your own house, so you do you, babes!

I don't get the hatred for Christmas cards. I don't send them to people I don't know very well, only close friends and family.

This year has been especially shitty for so many reason's that I wanted to send a card with a little message of thanks for their support and to wish them well into the new year.

Any cards I receive are attached to a bit of ribbon on the door. They don't get in the way and it's nice to read them.

I'm clearly in the minority on MN, but I don't care.

Nope. If someone has spent the time and effort to send me a card, the least I can do is pop it up until after Christmas.

you haven't answered my question OP. Do you send out cards yourself?

Aw that's really sad!
I put them on the mantelpiece, then after 12th night I cut them up into gift labels (have a pair of zigzag scissors for this!)

I would do the same, I get a few cards from people who I don't hear from except at xmas and I think they just go through their address book and send cards to everybody regardless. I mean nothing to them, if I did then they would have sent me a card when my father died. If they couldn't be bothered to do that then I can't be bothered to display a meaningless xmas card from them.

Well I just tried, but it turns out I still can’t quite bring myself to recycle them yet. They’re back to sitting in a pile on the side table.

Has anyone found a nice, practical way to display them?

I have tried windowsills and other display surfaces, but they always fall over when doors are opened/closed generating drafts or people walk by and catch them with sleeves etc.

I can’t string them over the fireplace (or risk putting them on the mantle) as our wood burner is like a furnace and sits out slightly from the mantle, so the fire risk too high.

The hallway is too narrow to have them fixed to the stairs - they catch on DH’s sleeves and fall to the ground.

I sellotaped them (closed) to the kitchen door one year, which worked fairly well, but we’ve just had new oak doors fitted and I don’t want to damage them with tape.

Yes. Straight into the recycling here too. Quite often unopened! I thought I was the only one who hated them.

No I don’t send them either!

Why do you have to "set aside space"? We stick ours over pictures or put up a string, they take up no usable space at all.

As you prefer. We string ours into decorations around the house. It is fun for ur. They go down with the rest of the decorations and into recycling then.

If you read them and appreciate that someone cared enough to send you one, then it’s up to you to do whatever you want with it. Whenever you want.

YANBU. I do the same, or cut them up to use for gift tags.

YANBU, but it comes across as very joyless

@Elphame

Yes. Straight into the recycling here too. Quite often unopened! I thought I was the only one who hated them.

No I don’t send them either!

You don't even open them?! I hope nobody ever sends you any precious photos then.

Hate them. I don't send them. Have asked people not to send them to us, but they continue to do so.

They make the place look cluttered. Luckily we don't get that many nowadays.

Even bday cards a up for 1 day then recycled.

I love christmas and all the deccies etc., but cards. No.

I'm fine thank you OP, thanks for enquiring. I just cannot bear goady mean spirited threads. Do what you want, you know you're going to. I'm sure you'd dislike things I do. You are unlikely to find out as I'm very unlikely to post on AIBU about a decision I've already made and won't change.