To think less of people who send these Christmas cards

[Bananacup]

... to have absolutely no interest in Christmas cards that say 'Merry Christmas from [Sender]'

And that's all

Literally no other message.

You've taken the time to post me a picture of a tree, but you've written no personal message whatsoever? Makes me feel like I'm a box on your to-do list, like the worst kind of business networking. It would have been better to send nothing at all. Just don't bother if you literally have nothing personal or interesting to say.

And about 90% of the Christmas cards I receive are like this!

Do you mean they don’t even write your name? I’ve seen that and it does come across as rude and impersonal. As you say just a card on a tick list.

If it’s name, merry Christmas, best wishes from xyz then YABU.

Personally I can't see the point of christmas cards for the most part these days when we can text each other to say merry Christmas, it feels incredibly wasteful for no real reason. I have never been much of a card person though

Yes I totally agree OP even if it is unreasonable! It just seems a pointless tick box exercise if it’s just their name under the printed greeting.
When I bother I generally include a few extra personalised sentences, do calligraphy, or include photos for MIL of the kids for eg. If you’re going to the effort and expense of sending something you may as well make it less boring.

“Bit King Lear” has made me properly LOL, @sprigatito!

To Bananacup,

Merry Christmas.

From
Whatausername

Some people send loads though
Nobody has time to write an essay in each just to massage your precious ego.

I have a work colleague who sends a family newsletter (cough bragging about her DC) complete with pictures. I imagine her friends and family would love a non personal card.

Yes. I agree. Terribly rude people who have thought of you and taken time out to write you a card, amongst everything else they have to do and all the other cards they need to write, but have shown such lack of consideration.

Seriously though, they just want to wish you a merry Christmas and let you know they were thinking of you, they may not want to write a run down of the past year or whatever you're expecting them to write. It's a bit off to complain they aren't making enough of an effort for you (when they're already doing something they don't need to do) or doing it to your liking.

But most Xmas cards are like that. It's a box ticking exercise for a lot of people to sit and write loads of cards to people that for the other 51 weeks of the year they don't even think about. I send about 5 cards to people I don't see over Xmas but have a good relationship with all year round. Other than that it's a total waste of time money and paper.

I can’t be bothered sending cards anymore so when someone does send us one I do appreciate how nice it is they went to the effort to buy, write and post to us. I definitely think they are going to become a thing of the past though.

It's the fact that they thought of you to post one which is the message. Do you know how many people never receive anything like that?

I always did... hence 'did'. Just got too much and now I don't do any!

OP, my Christmas cards have a recipe for Christmas pudding inside. There isn't room for much more than 'Have a wonderful Christmas. Love from Mint.'

But opening Christmas cards and hanging strings of colour and sparkle is nice. It shows people are thinking of you.

What a shame you can't just accept them with the sentiment with which they were sent .

I think these types of card are pointless as well.
You're either in regular touch with the person in which case just exchange greetings in person.

Or you're in touch but perhaps won't see them near Christmas to exchange greetings, in which case they either won't care or will probably appreciate a bit more in the way of news.

The only reason for sending this type of card is for elderly relatives who you feel obliged to send one too "because family".

Those saying "but they took the trouble to send you a card". Well, no, chances are they sat with a box of cards and a list and wrote them out one after the another without giving individuals a thought. I personally don't want someone spending this sort of "trouble" on me.

I know quite a few people that buy cheap Christmas cards in the January sales and write them all (minus addresses in case someone moves) then and there. I think that illustrates the pointlessness.

To be honest it IS something on my to do list and what’s more a chore I could do without. I only send them as elderly relatives insist on sending to me and I feel mean stopping. I would happily never send another.

My parents used to have someone who wrote a really long letter in their Christmas cards. They lived on a farm, my dad used to work on said farm as a teen, young adult. So it was an update on everything going on at the farm and their life. Later it was a typed letter then it stopped altogether, probably with the invent of social media

This and it’s absolutely fine

That’s how it’s always been done in my family. The card is the “thinking of you” message. It never occurred to me that there’s anything rude about sending a Christmas card without any other message.

I tend to write more in the cards of people I see less often, simply because they probably won't be up to date with our family - whereas closer friends with whom I'm in touch all the time will already have heard any news we have. So if people don't write anything in cards for you, it may in fact be a good sign.

And I, & those sending me cards, will take the trouble & go to the expense of buying a card that they know I'll love or be amused by.

If you don't like them simply put them in the recycling or tell the person not to send them too you. You make it sound like a massive slight to get a Christmas card, just what are you expecting?

I send cards to my elderly relatives and to some friends that live far away. I do sometimes try to write a note in but this year I've been quite unwell and have struggled to do all the things I usually do but I still wanted to send a festive greeting to people I care about. I hope none of them feel as you do or worse that you are on of my recipients!

I Agree with what others have said. The whole point of sending a card is just to wish people a Merry Christmas.
I now only send cards to relatives and people I dont see very often. It's not much - but the effort and few moments it takes me to write "Merry Christmas love OlderandWiser" means that I think of these people for a moment at a special time of the year and wish them well. I'd like to think they do the same for me when they send me return card.

Sadly - as others have said in this post many people are finding the writing of cards at all is just one job too many at this time of year and they are stopping bothering - which I think is sad.
Someone has remembered you OP - and wished you well in just the effort of sending the card. its unreasonable to expect more TBH.

its a card not an essay i dont want or expect great rambling messages

I suspect that if they'd included a screed on how they had lovely holidays to the Maldives, Jamaica and the moon, Cosmo is showing a flair for languages since he's fluent in Latin at 6 years old, Araminta is now Grade 8 on the lute and DH is soooooo busy now he's been promoted to CEO of the world, you'd be moaning that they were using their christmas cards to show off.

YABU, OP. It's how most people write cards, especially when you've got a stack to get through.

However I'd rather not recieve cards in general as i think they're a bit of a waste of time/money/bad for environment etc and would keep in touch with people in other ways.

That. If you do have a special message you want to send me - yes sure lovely. But this tick in the box exercise when you simply go through the list because you feel you have to? Don't. Less stress for you, less stress for me (because I feel now I need to send you one), saves trees. If you still really feel you should wish me merry Xmas, text will do just fine.