To hate bloody Christmas cards?

[HandbagsnGladrags]

I'm not a Christmas Grinch - I like Christmas. But AIBU to think that Christmas cards are a total waste of time and money? I fucking hate them. I wish no one would send them to me. They end up cluttering up the windowsills and making the house look untidy. I don't send any except to my bloody mother who makes a right fuss if I don't send her one. She also comments on my lack of card sending to others. Fuck off.

Is anyone with me?

@Cardamoney but it’s the sheer waste of paper as well. All get chucked weeks afterwards. So that why I do donate to charity and I do highlight it because I think it would be a bloody good idea if more people did it instead of wasting paper and not giving to those who need it!

You assume that people aren't already doing that.

100% with you.

I don't send cards and over the years people have stopped sending them to me. I really don't see the point of giving cards to people you see regularly during the year, it's all part of the seasonal gorge-fest where only business benefits. All that money people don't have overspending on stuff people don't want or need to celebrate a 'god' most don't really believe in and so much rubbish produced unnecessarily.

What's the stat? enough wrapping paper to cover the British isles thrown away every year.

What really bugs me is the virtue signallers who say “I’m not doing cards this year, I’m donating to charity instead”. Some of us buy charity cards. At least if you say “I’m donating to charity because I can’t be arsed writing cards” it’s honest!

I expect they are fully aware that it's obvious they can't be arsed writing cards anymore. And i also doubt they're bothered if you believe them or not. It's just a nicer way of putting it and a nicer way of saying ''i'm stopping sending xmas cards, don't bother with doing one for me from now on''.

Not wanting the fuss of doing xmas cards anymore is nothing to be ashamed of.

Well that really depends. Absolutely yes, if you buy "charity cards" from a major retailer like John Lewis, M&S, supermarkets, then they will donate a set amount per box to whatever charity or charities the cards are supporting. And it won't be very much.

However, if you buy cards directly from a charity online or in a charity shop, ALL the profit from that box of cards will go to the charity's coffers just as with anything else you buy from them.

I volunteer in a charity shop and our cards still sell well, but it definitely is the older customers who buy them. Younger people aren't bothering. Lots of schools have stopped the practice of writing a card for everyone in the class - my kids used to come home with dozens until they said no more - write one card for the whole class which could be displayed in the classroom.

One of the ladies I volunteer with asked when I was buying my Christmas cards. I said I did not buy and did not send cards. She said "That's really rude". When I asked why she thought that she couldn't really articulate why, just that it was something she'd always done and thought it was expected.

but it’s the sheer waste of paper as well

so are all the flyers for Domino's pizzas but no one gets worked up over those.

There are lots of charities that accept old cards. We can recycle all of our paper anyway- even cards.

Our village also collects used stamps off cards and it goes to major charities who make money from them.

Maybe you are unaware of this?

I hate writing cards. On the other hand I like reading round Robin letters from distant friends or family I rarely see. I send an e-card with an attached letter to my friends. People who hate round robins can scroll on by but at least people know I've thought about them.

You assume that people aren't already doing that

Am I?

The ones I can’t stand are those which are nearly a foot long - they take up so much space.

Yes, clearly or you'd not have made the point in the way you did (ie telling people what to do.)

So throw them away. I love Christmas cards. My cousins and many aunts and uncles send them to me and my partner and it makes me feel loved and remembered even though I live hundreds of miles away from the rest of them.

I see them all so much less than they see each other but every year I know they remember and love me.

One aunt and uncle even specifically theme mine around my childhood nickname. They buy the cards anytime they see them. I've had odd themed cards from Mexico, Spain, France, Japan! They see the theme and grab it specifically for me even though I only see them maybe every 3 years.

It makes my heart shine that they always think of me.

Well that really depends. Absolutely yes, if you buy "charity cards" from a major retailer like John Lewis, M&S, supermarkets, then they will donate a set amount per box to whatever charity or charities the cards are supporting. And it won't be very much

That's why I said the percentage going to charity is 'often' really small. I am very aware that it varies.

But I'm sure even you'd agree that the charity would benefit more from the whole donation rather than the profit from selling the same value of cards.

Where did I tell people what to do?

Agree @Mummieslncorporated that we'd rather have the whole amount rather than the profit. But lots of people come into our shop at this time of year specifically to look for Christmas cards, or calendars (which are another waste of paper in my book) and while they're in, they'll spot a paperback they wanted or a kid's board game, or a scarf.

So although I don't buy cards myself, I can see why charity shops stock them as they get people through the door and browsing.

Baby class teachers.

What if they received one of these cards from every baby in the class, every year?

I have to agree with pp. They are a keepsake for you. Not so much for others.

XmasElfontheShelf · Today 15:40

''but it’s the sheer waste of paper as well''

so are all the flyers for Domino's pizzas but no one gets worked up over those.

No one?
I hate the volume of ad waste, and i have a notice by the door saying Please don't post ad mail.

If my decision to not send xmas cards was in order to cut down on my personal consumption of paper, why is it negated by what Domino's Pizza co. do or do not do

@XmasElfontheShelf no I am very aware, and would rather the paper and energy wasn’t wasted making the bloody things in the first place, let alone the costs and waste involved in sending them by post. And yes I do get worked up over domino’s flyers and all the other crap that gets sent out, hence my box ticking on any orders requesting I don’t receive them where poss.

I hate cards in general, Christmas cards are the worst. They're messy and clutter the place up, I can't wait to get them in the recycling!

I am very anal about my Christmas decor - no way I am having cards up, spoiling it! When my kids were small and we were still in the era of doing a card for every member of the class, I used to display theirs only in the hall, where I could not be overly offended by them

@Laiste I hate the volume of ad waste, and i have a notice by the door saying Please don't post ad mail.

And the postie obliges?

I thought they had to deliver junk mail unless it was the sort where you could opt out by contacting the supplier of it? (ie on their mailing list)

I don't think posties are allowed to take back tonnes of junk mail not delivered. RM is paid to deliver it. If yours obliges, maybe they just dump it in a bin that you don't see?

'When my kids were small and we were still in the era of doing a card for every member of the class'

It is an absolute nightmare getting a young child who has not long learnt to write to do them, and for his whole class! We keep receiving them so will have to so some unfortunately.

I love sending and getting them and putting them on display.
Just don't put them up if you don't want to.

In a lot of cases you might be better off buying cheaper cards and sending the difference to the charity.

Here @Mummieslncorporated

It's your suggestion. A fine line between telling and suggesting, don't you think? 😅

@HandbagsnGladrags

Yes I remember! 😂
They were hideous! I remember getting one from my gran for my 21st.

'you might be better off' is a very different comment to 'you should'.

Given that I neither send nor want to receive cards, it would be highly hypocritical of me to tell people to buy them! It was merely offered as an option, to those people that want to support charity while also sending Christmas cards.