To not include the dog in a Christmas card

[WeCalledTheDogIndiana]

Writing Christmas card to sister in law and brother in law (DH’s sister and her husband) and remembered that last time they sent us a card (a few months ago) it was signed “from SIL, BIL, and Fido” - Fido being their dog…

Can we just write “Dear SIL, BIL, and DS” and leave it at that? Or is this doomed to be taken as a passive aggressive slight that will spawn it’s own mumsnet thread and lead to them going NC?!

I am veering towards “it’s a bit ridiculous but if it makes them happy just do it”. DH is firmly in the camp of “I am not addressing a fucking card to a fucking dog”

For context: we’re not particularly close, we don’t see them often as they live in the US, the family has a history of finding fault in everything everyone does, yes we both like dogs but no we don’t have our own (cause small children), and they didn’t have the dog last Christmas so it wasn’t an issue then. And yes I do have more important things to worry about but this is a pleasing distraction (and I am genuinely interested in views of dog owners and non dog owners alike!)

Can’t do voting on the app but:
YABU - just include the dog, why wouldn’t you
YANBU - fucking dogs don’t get fucking cards

Life-enhancing is a great way to describe it OP

Another one I've just remembered... my niece stressing about what to put in the GERBIL'S Christmas stocking

Compromise:

Dear Hazza, Meg, Archie and Lili,

Merry Christmas! Hope you and K9 have a wonderful time celebrating and a happy New Year.

Love from Bill, Kate, Georgie, Lottie and Louis

Wow is this really what you have to worry about?!

I have a dog.. sometimes I write her name, sometimes I don't. It really isn't a big issue!!

I wouldn’t even be giving this a second thought and I wouldn’t write the dog’s name. The dog won’t even know or care. Who cares if the owners get upset? If they become offended and go all off with you about it then they will just look irrational and weird.

Wow is this really what you have to worry about?!

To be fair, OP did address this in her OP.

Another one I've just remembered... my niece stressing about what to put in the GERBIL'S Christmas stocking

😂😂 actually just remembered that my son's best friend (they're 6) has imaginary pets. I must remind his mum that she'll need to get them something for christmas

I have never included a dog on any Christmas card, but if I knew someone who would find that heartwarming I guess I would.

actually just remembered that my son's best friend (they're 6) has imaginary pets. I must remind his mum that she'll need to get them something for christmas

Aw, imaginary pets. 🥰

Does any one even send cards anymore?

I always include the dog when writing cards. She is family, so it is a no brainer to me.

I think it's nice when they add the dog.

It's part of the nonsense of it all

Yes, actually this is it, isn't it - cards themselves are a completely unnecessary nice to have, it's all just a gesture of something, from politeness to love to wanting to bring a smile to someone's face when they read it. So you may as well lean in to the silliness as to what will make them smile. Eureka! This is why I was instinctively leaning in favour!

I have relayed this new-found insight to DH who has (wearily) given in but says I have to write the damn card myself because he can't bring himself to

@GodIsAVegan thank you! Christmas 🎄 to you

@idontlikealdi

Does any one even send cards anymore?

Only cats and dogs, apparently.

Don't you just do the thing that will make the recipients happiest? Include the dog. He or she is important to them.

one of my SILs is like this but is serious about it. she thinks her dog is the same as a child and insists to us that it is. that our LO is a legitimate cousin of her dog etc etc. she includes the dog in her cards to us and we either include our cat and all the guinea pigs in our from or we just don't include any pets. in her world dogs and guinea pigs are not equal despite her insisting that dogs and children are equal.

@funinthesun19

I wouldn’t even be giving this a second thought and I wouldn’t write the dog’s name. The dog won’t even know or care. Who cares if the owners get upset? If they become offended and go all off with you about it then they will just look irrational and weird.

Well, if you are indifferent to the recipient's feelings, why be sending cards in the first place?

@idontlikealdi

Does any one even send cards anymore?

Well you're on a thread of almost 100 people discussing who they do or don't include so I think the answer is fairly obvious.

YABU obviously

The dog is family
My mother refuses to say happy Xmas to my cat so I dont say it to her husband. Lol

My mother refuses to say happy Xmas to my cat so I dont say it to her husband. Lol

Seems fair.

@AwkwardPaws27

It's really not an issue.

The vast majority of cards we get won't include the dog - it's fine. He can't actually read so he isn't offended.

That said, the odd one that does include him makes me smile.

Again, he would happily eat either card, no preference.

This.

I'm with your DH OP - but only so I can log in to your next thread, which will detail in full the long-running saga engendered by The Awful Snub To Our Fully Literate Dogs.

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

That's perfectly OK. You just need to send a separate card to the dog.

[grin

We have a dog, I do not put her name in cards.
Our friends who see their dogs as their fur babies do put dogs names on cards and even sm posts for events. Our dog is my mate not my baby.