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!

I wouldn't want anyone to have any excess work/stress on my account at Xmas.

Exactly, so don't send 256 Xmas cards to every person you have ever encountered in life and where in most cases your contact is limited to this yearly card, only because it's something you're expected to do and another chore.

It doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy thinking that husband's second cousin's (twice removed) wife took a list provided by her MIL, bought a bunch of cards, signed them XX family, stuffed into envelopes, bought stamps and walked an hour to post office, in rain, uphill both ways.

xmas cards are pointless and thankfully they are dying out.

Instead of writing a card phone them up and speak.

That explains why you are in touch. Not why you are only in touch once a year. If someone is important to you as a family connection it seems odd not to ever tell them what you are up to 🤷‍♀️

I agree OP. If it’s someone I have regular contact with then it’s fine, but if it’s a “christmas card only” friendship , then it’s frustrating. I’ll get the card, recognise the writing, and think “great, I wonder how Sarah has been etc”. It’s very disappointing to just see “to MumblesParty, happy Christmas from Sarah”. It’s like they’re literally saying “I’m alive but I can’t be bothered to tell you anything else”. It’s better than nothing I suppose.

Crikey I thought I was doing so well actually sending cards this year! I think I’ve spent £15 on stamps so I hope my friends are a bit nicer than you!

Most cards come with a printed message. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

edit: you would hate cards from me. I’m thinking of getting ‘lots of love from Littlegoth’ made into an ink stamp to save even more time. My hands cramp easily.

If you have regular contact, just say Merry Christmas in that contact
I simply don’t understand Christmas card only ‘friendships’. If I only heard from someone once a year I’d find a card odd. And I really wouldn’t care about their news - if I did, I’d have been in touch before.

Oh god, I think we know the same person 😂

I completely agree. I don't want a round robin but just something to show it's personal. I think the least people could do is write Happy Christmas Wendy and John from Mary and Dave.
There are three cards I look froward to every year and they all come with a proper letter inside, not a round robin.

You sound fun, OP.

Would you rather have a typed and formatted essay about how much I earn, that the hamster died and what DC stuck up their nose this year? It's a card expressing a specific wish for a holiday. If you don't want to participate, don't. Just stop sending cards and eventually people will stop sending them to you.

If someone can't be bothered to write my name in the card, why bother sending it?

I don't need a personal message in it like OP would like to have. But to not acknowledge my name always feels hurtful.

Some people will look to find offence anywhere. What a miserable way to live.

Oh ffs. I don't have time to write personal messages in Christmas cards so it's either a generic message or people don't get a card

I wish I knew how many of the 30 or so recipients of my annual card felt like you so I could stop bothering with them. I don't have time to consider and write something personal to every one.
To the PP who said I was sneering - I really wasn't - I understand people have different priorities, but that poster was only send a few with personal messages.

They know what we are up to, via my cousin. These three relatives have cerebral palsy, dementia and near complete loss of sight. A letter or phone call would cause confusion and upset, and it wouldn't be me settling the situation. My cousin sees them and talks about us.
Can you see how it's not always odd and that it doesn't mean I don't want them to be a part of my life. The distance between us is the barrier.

You sound hard work.

There are plenty of people I don't see more than once a year, like former co-workers, old friends or roommates from uni, people I used to volunteer with, etc. - we might not be part of one another's everyday lives but it does no harm to send well wishes once a year. We're still very fond of one another.

I love getting the cringey round Robin thingies! 😆

Funnily enough I have just been tidying out a drawer in the living room and came across a round robin letter from 2014 from a family who still usually send one. My God it is exhausting to read, they are all apparently such high achievers. Except I remember in the one we had last year there were clues that some of them had fallen off their perch a bit but it was disguised with phrases such as "finally finding his true direction" or "but always throws herself in to the next thing with such energy and cheerfulness"

We get another one from someone that 66 year old DH knew at school and has probably seen IRL twice in the last 40+ years. It natters on about children, grandchildren and siblings we have never met.

One year another family we knew sent us three sides of A4 but at least half of it was describing the difficulties they had had getting planning permission to build a shed!

Alas with SM these type of missives seem to be dying out.

You are being very unreasonable, they have taken the trouble to buy the cards, write in them and post them. That takes much more effort and thought than sending a blanket email.
I am very grateful for all the Christmas cards get however little or much they write

The only people I feel sorry for are the ones who've spent a quid posting them to you.

Ungrateful AF.

I'm so glad cards a dying off because this kind of expectant attitude gives me the rage.

This

Wrote mine yesterday and posted

Yes and if they'd written an essay it would be moaning about who cares if little Christabelle has passed grade 2 piano.

To think less of someone?

Jesus, who do you think you are?! Do you expect a paragraph of a heartfelt message with personal anecdotes?

Either rip them up and put them in the recycling bin or display them on your mantelpiece.

You beat me to it 😉

🤣🤣🤣🤣