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?

It would be even worse to not reply in some way otherwise she'll just keep this up each year. I'd pop them back into her letterbox with a note saying 'though we appreciate your card every year we do not write Christmas cards to anyone so won't have use for these - thank you for your kind thoughts, thought you'd like these back as we won't make use of them' I am not a people pleaser at all but I also wouldn't purposely want to make an enemy of an elderly neighbour. Old people sometimes have too much time on their hands and over think a lot and sometimes a nice gesture can come across rude. I think in this case she is being passive aggressive but on the off chance she is well meaning I'd give her a chance whilst also making the point back in a polite way that you won't be reciprocating.

Id post them back to her

Thank you, but no thank you No 123

By our house number “hi number 11”

I'd post them back and say thanks but we don't send cards and I'd hate for you to waste them.

I'd post them back through her door with a nice note saying "thank you very much but we actually don't send christmas cards at all. Appreciate you thinking of us but you'll make better use of them. Happy new year"

You can put something about "due to environmental reasons we don't send them so I wouldn't want these cards to go tonwaste"

Me and my friends have a name for things like this! PABS.

Passive Aggressive Bullshit 😂

Op isn't making a drama. They've made a post about what is incredibly rude and passive aggressive behaviour from her neighbour.

I'd be tempted to write them all out to her and date each envelope.
Put the whole box back in her letterbox with a note saying that should keep her going for the next however many years ;)

No, that's not what good manners are.

But she'll use them - you won't. And she probably bought them 75% off in the sale...

Who's making a drama out of it?

Where did OP make a drama out of it? I missed that bit.

I think this is the best response..while it's tempting to hit back with a passive aggressive message of your own you have to live in the same street so it's probably wisest not to kick off a war with her.

Plus a really nice response from you might make her feel a bit embarrassed about her silly gesture!!

I'd keep them then next year send one to every single person on the street but her. Make it wuite obvious too when you go out putting them through doors.

@Pekitothebunny I’d just put them through her door with a note like ‘thanks for thinking of us but we make a small donation to charity rather than send cards and so I’m returning these for you to use. We won’t be offended if you decide not to send us a card in future, though we’re grateful for the ones you have sent us. Best wishes’

I would post the pack back with a note saying here are your cards for the next 10/20 years (depending on the pack size)

What a ridiculous woman. Where on earth is the point of sending a card to someone you don't even know by name?

Oh just put them back through her letterbox with a note saying it's kind of her to think of you but you don't need the cards.

This is extremely odd behaviour, she doesn’t even know your first name and yet she expects a Christmas card?!

I would just totally ignore. Get rid of the cards however you like - donate, bin, or gift to someone who will use them - but ignore. I wouldn’t go to the effort of giving them back to her with a note.

Also I don’t like the assumption from her that everyone celebrates Christmas. Obviously she should feel free to send a card without knowing if you celebrate, but she shouldn’t expect one back for that reason. (Maybe you have decorations or something that are visible from the street?)

That’s a good point, I actually haven’t ever had Xmas decorations outside or in the window. She must just assume

I'd do this...
And add that you prefer to give a set sum to a local charity.

This is what I'd do too.

That is very odd behaviour. I’d give her her card now “dear Janet, merry Xmas 2025” Saves doing it later.

I would use them all to write her cards for the next ten years and post them all through her letterbox. "Happy Christmas 2027!" Etc. Job done.

Write them all today. Put 'Christmas 2025', 'Christmas 2026', 'Christmas 2027' etc next to her name on the envelope. Post them all back through her door.

Job done for the next few years.