I’m not sending Christmas cards this year, I’m donating to charity

[UseAMuckySock]

Why is everyone announcing this on Facebook lately? Are we supposed to tell them how amazing and thoughtful they are?

I think its wanky to announce it.

I think it's a good thing to think about pruning a bit off your Christmas spending and donating it instead.

But I think its better to take it off something that impacts on you and yours, rather than cutting something that gives joy to others

I am in contact via text/WhatsApp/FaceTime or even actual visit with every person I'd send a card to. I make the time at Christmas to go and see them or call them.

I’m not having a cup of tea this morning with my toast. I am instead, very nobly, with grace and righteousness, giving money to charity instead. You may now applaud my humility.

I wouldn't have the ability to write a personalised newsy message in every card so it would be printed and put in

It's possible to both send cards and donate to charity. I don't know why it has to be either or!

I don't send Christmas cards, I spend the money on wine instead. But I don't post it on FB.

This. I put these statuses up there with the “I saw a homeless person today, I gave them everything I owned, it’s the least I could do. My massive heart wouldn’t let me just walk past, I am such an angel.” It is possible to do a good deed and not need to drum up praise and adoration for yourself.

This

I'm not sending cards this year, and I'm not donating to charity either.
Because I simply can't be arsed 😁

I'm not doing it for anything for me. I'm doing it in memory of my mum and so that people don't forget her. She's important to me and she's getting further and further away every year and it absolutely breaks my heart. I just want people to know about her and remember her (those who knew her)

I'd bet my house that none of them actually do give to Charity instead. As you rightly say it is so everyone gushes over them and says what marvellous, good hearted people they are. It's empty, vacuous virtue signalling.

I give £50 every single year. Used to be £30 but I've upped in the last 3 or 4 to £50

You should post it on Facebook 😂🍾

A second class stamp is 68p. A first class stamp is 95p. You’d need to be a sandwich short of a picnic to send Christmas cards to people. It’s such a waste of money, time, and energy.

Agree.

If some choose to see it as virtue-signalling or twatty that says more about them than the poster. If you already think that about the poster anyway, why not simply unfriend or unfollow them so you don’t see their posts. Besides, it’s Facebook. Have people forgotten what the purpose of Facebook is?
Facebook posts are typically meant to be about the person writing them. It literally says what’s on your mind before you write in the box to post.

These announcements could be a way to say, I'm not getting you a card, so please don't get me one either.

that would be my reasoning if I felt the need to tell everyone.

I don't display Christmas cards and I do ask people not to give us them, but they do, every year. They make the place look cluttered and messy.

I do suspect in most cases that it’s about not being arsed plus sending cards is pricey nowadays but it’s not nice to say both of these reasons so people are saying that they are donating to a charity instead. The thing is we don’t know if they do and they don’t know which way we prefer. Some people might really appreciate their Xmas cards.
Our family don’t send many cards so we still send them. We donate to a particular charity monthly ( DD) so it will continue over Xmas as usual.

"Most of you know this but for those that don't. I'm not sending Christmas cards this year. Or any other. I donate to x charity in memory of my mum every year instead.

Mum. You'd have loved <list of three things that happened this year>. Look after x for me. Miss you."

If that makes me a wanky virtue signalling prick well I'm ok with that.

People feel the need to say they’re giving to charity to justify their not sending Christmas cards. Yes it’s virtue signalling. It’s up there with buying people charity Christmas presents for charities they probably don’t even want to support.

I know someone who is losing a much loved and close relative. She says that one of the few bright moments in these dark days is receiving Christmas cards from people knowing that they care enough for her to go and get the cards, buy the stamps, write a few words and send her a card. People she thought were friends saying they CBA to send a card feel like a real slap in the face to her. Who cares about another person's charity donations?

Also. Fwiw. I don't expect cards from anyone and the only people buying me presents are my partner and my kids. I'm not doing it for anyone else.

This.

An old friend and his wife started posting this on FB a few years ago 'This year wife and child have carefully selected XYZ charity and will donate instead of posting Christmas cards'. I haven't yet figured out why the two are exclusive or why they need to 'inform' everyone they are donating a few quid to their 'carefully selected charity'. I'd also be interested to know how much time they spend in 'carefully selecting' said charity and they certainly aren't throwing a few hundred towards the charity. I presume they are trying to sound clever but come off sounding like cheapskate wankers..

I still send them a card to which I get a post saying 'Thanks for the card but we didn't send any due to giving to charity. I've resisted the urge to reply 'So what' over the years.

It's not really a slap in the face to her or anyone else though if people cant find the energy to send xmas cards. Many people have their own troubles going on and have a lot on their plate. I'm a single parent and work full time, I get very little.down time and I certainly cant face adding writing cards to my mental load right now, its not a personal snub to anyone (I also think it's a massive waste of paper tbh). I would never write a status about it on Facebook though.

I would phone her. Or go and see her.

Surely that's worth as much as a card?

It seems that someone who spends most of every day by a hospital bed watching someone they love die doesn't have much time or energy for phone calls or visits.

A card, or even a text, which can be read at leisure is helpful. A general message saying that personal contact is too much bother, is not.

But hey, we all have busy lives and our own priorities.