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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Do you throw out birthday/christmas cards?

53 replies

K8Davidson · 07/05/2025 21:06

I usually recycle mine, but this year I’ve cut out the pictures, which will be re-used as gift tags or to make new cards with them.

What does everyone else do?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 07/05/2025 21:21

They go in the recycling

EmpressaurusKitty · 07/05/2025 21:24

K8Davidson · 07/05/2025 21:06

I usually recycle mine, but this year I’ve cut out the pictures, which will be re-used as gift tags or to make new cards with them.

What does everyone else do?

I make gift tags too.

Neveranynamesleft · 07/05/2025 21:25

Recycling. Not a fan of cards anyway.

WaitWhatWhatWait · 07/05/2025 21:25

Bin them, in the recycling bin

SpanThatWorld · 07/05/2025 21:26

Recycling

Don't send very many either. I think it was 3 last year

TryingToBeHelpful267 · 07/05/2025 21:26

Keep them but I’m disgustingly sentimental.

BeesTrees · 07/05/2025 21:27

I keep the special ones (DH and DC) and recycle the rest.

QuaintShaker · 07/05/2025 21:27

Immediately into the recycling, here (save for if there's a long, personalized message - I do tend to hang onto those).

ranoutofquinoaandprosecco · 07/05/2025 21:28

I keep special ones and then recycle the rest, but most do the label thing next year my Granny always used to and it’s a lovely thing to do.

Acc0untant · 07/05/2025 21:29

I keep 1st birthday cards and I make gift tags from Christmas cards but everything else gets recycled.

Sparrow7 · 07/05/2025 21:29

I keep homemade ones, recycle the rest.

MrsPlantagenet · 07/05/2025 21:30

Christmas cards go in the recycling bin immediately they’re opened (not that we get more than 4 or 5 these days).

Birthday cards - I keep those from my husband and kids because of the messages they write in them. Everything else is binned.

Sally2791 · 07/05/2025 21:31

Never!

HundredPercentUnsure · 07/05/2025 21:31

Keep a selection few special ones and turn the rest into gift tags with pinking shears!

My DM is in ill-health and can't write well any more. Soon she won't be able to write any more cards and I'll miss seeing her handwriting.

TiramisuTastesDreamy · 07/05/2025 21:33

Keep the big birthday ones for us all, recycle the rest

Whiteflowerscreed · 07/05/2025 21:33

i keep them all!!!!! I hate throwing them away. Christmas cards become tags.

birthday cards I’ve a few bags of and still deciding what to do. I think some I will cut up for crafting with the children

caringcarer · 07/05/2025 21:34

I let DGC make gifts tags with pinking shears and I let them have glitter too. The only cards I keep are from MiL now as she's getting older and I always wonder if it might be the last card she sends us. I've still got the last birthday card and Xmas card my Mum sent to me before she died and I put them up every year. I find it soothing.

mumofoneAlonebutokay · 07/05/2025 21:34

I take a photo of the front and the message and then bin it (recycling bin)

moretea · 07/05/2025 21:39

I try to recycle mine.... But I have some that are over a hundred years old that my grandmother and then mum had kept! It doesn't seem right to do anything other than keep them now, but really I wonder if she ever thought they'd last so long

TheChosenTwo · 07/05/2025 21:40

Recycling as quickly as possible. Christmas ones go straight in the bin. Fortunately we only get about 3 these days.
i don’t use tags on Christmas presents, sticky labels on some, write in a white/silver/gold pen on others. Tags always tend to fall off, there’s usually at least 4 or 5 presents under our tree which has become separated from its tag (from other people to someone that lives in my house!).
birthday cards also recycled but I kept a couple of my 40th ones as they’re funny photo ones, cut the front off and stuck them on my pinboard in my office (at home, not the actual office!) as I didn’t have copies of the photos myself.

HerbieFluffyDumpling · 07/05/2025 21:41

I keep most special ones, then donate the rest to a volunteer group. They make new cards, which they then sell to raise funds for the local food bank.

Andsoitbeganagain · 07/05/2025 21:49

I hate cards and recycle all but a very few special ones. Fortunately most of the family have been so offended by my lax attitude to cards over the years that I don't have many to deal with now. Life is too short to appreciate 15 verses of saccarine insincere nonsense....looking at you MIL

4andnotcounting · 07/05/2025 21:49

Recycle mine. I have kept all of my children’s a birthday cards

Arancia · 07/05/2025 21:53

I'm a sentimental person, so I keep all cards and letters I receive. I keep them in a box in my wardrobe, and I've put dates on each item so I know when I received them.

GotToWearShades · 07/05/2025 21:55

I make gift tags with those that are suitable. I recycle if I can, although glittery cards shouldn't really go in recycling so I bin those.

I have kept a few from GPs and bro and DH. But try not to keep too many.

Regarding gift tags - you know those annoying ribbons in clothing that help keep tops/dresses/cardigans/jumpers in the hanger the shop but are otherwise just annoying? Well, everso good for gift tag ribbons. Although, few and far between now that I buy fewer clothes in an effort to save the planet.