To think this is strange from my neighbour?

[Pekitothebunny]

This morning I woke up to a pack of Christmas cards that have been posted through my door. They are new Christmas cards, still sealed within their pack, unused. A note came with it saying “hi, it’s Janet from number 5. I bought these for you to send out to the neighbours next year”

Huh? Why would anyone do that? She’s isn’t my direct neighbour, she’s like 4 houses down. We don’t speak or have any kind of relationship. However, since we moved in a few years ago she has always sent us a Christmas card, and I assume she sends them to everyone on the street. We don’t bother with Christmas cards and never send them out. Could it be that she’s offended that we never send cards so this is her not so subtle way of hinting that she will be expecting a card from us in 2025?? Why would anyone care so much?

Im planning on just throwing the cards away and ignoring it. Would anyone else find this weird?

I haven't sent Xmas cards for years. I thank anyone that still sends us one but tell them they don't need to send us one in future, if they persist that's up to them (and a bit silly IMO). I don't display them, they go into paper recycling. What a waste just to follow some unwelcome tradition. I also don't feel obliged to send one just because someone sent me one, that's phoney BS.
Some people feel snubbed by the lack of a return card but it may help her to know you don't send any cards at all and it's not personal to her. Return the cards with a brief note.

I mean, you could just post them back through her door with a note saying “no thank you.” But it sounds like it would be more fun to try knocking just so you can wind her up some more by deliberately not using the Ring doorbell.

Apologies. I'm new and couldn't see how to post or delete

That really will be what it's like aswell 🤣

The neighbour sat seething in her house because she hasnt received a card from people she doesnt know

Mumsnet is hilarious today

If there's say ten in a pack just write merry Xmas ,all the best for
2026 2027 2028 etc in each one and post all ten back thru her letterbox job done ! 😂😂

You could stack them all up on top of each other and glue them together like a house of playing cards. Then leave your lovely Christmas card tree effect creation on her doorstep and run off. Maybe that's what she was angling for. What a very strange person. She sounds absolutely unhinged. During the long lockdown, someone kept leaving bags of baked bean tins and little home made cards with prayers in them on our doorstep. Never found out who it was. Very generous but equally bizarre!

She doesn't take in parcels. You don't send Christmas cards. Perhaps give her that message.

How about posting the box of cards to number 12 and tell them you got them from Janet in No 2 and because you don't send Christmas cards can they send one to Janet in No 2 ever year for the next 20 years please.

Send her a Wassailing card in a couple of weeks and a Happy Spring Equinox card in March and ask her if she will be out celebrating Summer Solstice with a ram's head in June.

No apologies needed You just won’t get the answers you want in the middle of this thread. There’ll be loads of helpful advice if you start your own (ignore the more sanctimonious). The money matters board might be best but quieter than AIBU or chat.

It’s not style, it’s rude and passive aggressive. If others want to indulge in the stupidity of running round the neighbourhood posting cards then fine. Doesn’t mean you have to reciprocate.

👍🤣

She doesn’t take in parcels, you don’t send Christmas cards. Simples !!

Aw. I’d say a Janet from down the road is not quite ok hun and is sweating the small stuff, so I’d smile and give her a card, to lighten the load. Goodwill to all , etc!

Post them back with the original note addressed to her entire household saying you're an atheist and don't celebrate Christmas.

I am laughing out loud at your neighbour. I think this is them “dropping a hint” but like you I would probably bin the cards and ignore her.

But seriously to avoid waste if you don’t want to throw them out just return them with a note saying “we are not Christian and don’t celebrate Christmas” which is my go to response.

Is it just me picturing this pair?

I'd absolutely put them straight back through her door, bloody cheek!

I think her note is very rude, and that's probably how she meant it

This is what I'd do. What a passive aggressive twit she is

Put it back through the door with a post it that says

“Dear Neighbour, due to our faith in the all-knowing and all-powerful Mephistopheles, we do not send Christmas cards. But we don’t want them to go to waste, so please have them back!”

Maybe she will leave you alone after that :)

I'd fill in every card (addressed to her) and then stuff them back through her letter box with a note:
Dear Janet,
Especially for you, to compensate for the fact that we have and never shall do Christmas cards.
Sincere love,
Clan Pekitothebunny

What an incredibly passive aggressive and angry way to start a new year! She must have been festering on this for a Long Time.

I think if it were me, I'd put them back in her letter box with the most sickly sweet, obnoxiously upbeat note you can think of. And then perhaps drop in some awful tragedy that explains why you don't chose to give out cards.

"Dear Janet, thank you soooo much for thinking of us! That is really incredibly kind of you, and you taking the time out of your day really brightened what can be a really hard time of year for us as a family. Of course, you weren't even to have known this, but some years ago, my lovely auntie lost a hand to an out of control dog when delivering christmas cards to some close friends in their village. So as a result of this, we made the decision, as a family, that we would no longer send cards, as we all now find them quite triggering. I'm sure you understand. Best wishes for the new year! OP."

I would hand them back or push them through her letter box with a note and tell her you don't send cards, so that she doesn't do it again. I haven't sent cards for years now I've always hated writing them out, such a boring waste of time .

How about ‘thank you for thinking of us but we don’t send Christmas cards so have returned them so you can get some use. We’re actually pagan and rest assured that you were included in our thoughts to attract positive energy and a prosperous spring at the winter solstice’.