To think sending postcards is a massive chore?

[WhatsMyDream]

Whenever we go on holiday, family member says to my DC (in my hearing) "make sure to send me a postcard"
I have come to find that sending a postcard generally involves 4 steps, all of which are a chore

1. find the postcard
2. write it
3. find a stamp - usually never sold by the postcard shop
4. find the postbox

All of these tasks to be achieved whilst wrangling DC abroad in unfamiliar areas while they all want to do something different to each other and me. Family member is a single traveller for whom postcard sourcing is probably a nice way to spend an afternoon pottering. For me holidays are a combination of DC : complaining about the weather, wanting an ice cream, needing the toilet, wanting to buy X random cheap toy, being hungry, being thirsty, not wanting to visit whatever thing the country is famous for, wanting to go back to the pool etc

Throwing a postcard obstacle course into the mix is just a step too far

Yanbu

I'd be Offering key rings or fridge magnets instead

Not unreasonable at all, can’t stand the idea of buying and writing postcards on holiday, I’m not on holiday to do homework!! They’re totally unnecessary admin and you’re usually home from the holiday before it arrives at their house anyway. Electronic postcards only ie. WhatsApp.

That's really sweet 💖

People not liking the same things you like doesn't make them miserable gits.

Back in the days when postcards were a thing, I hated the effort of buying, writing and posting them. It was a chore that was hanging around at the back of your mind until you sent them. I wanted to relax and just forget about home and responsibilities.

I think people who like sending postcards are the same type of people who like to inflict their holiday photos on other people. At least in my experience they are anyway.

Last time i sent a postcard was 1976

Do you have small DC on holidays with you?

It’s never just one- the whole family expect them.

I find people aren’t sending postcards anymore.

The worst thing is sometimes had postcards delivered to me 4 months later!

Also if you have ever handed over postcards at hotel receptions and recipients never receive them. I tell you why. The staff steam off the stamps and keep them

I can’t even remember seeing postcards on sale when I’ve been holidaying in Crete. Just don’t mention it again.

It's increasingly rare to get one and I love it. I also remember really loving buying lots of postcards from each place I visited when travelling. Not necessarily to send but just to keep. And help the locals who were selling it. But I love sending them when I can.

If there was no shops or postboxes or anything near where I was then I wouldn't do it. But it's a cute quite old school tradition that I'm fairly fond of.

Everyone posting millions of pictures on SM. It's not the same as an actual physical thing that came from the local area.

I think postcards are a waste of time and effort. If the children are old enough they can send a holiday photo to whoever, also using free app Vont write 2025 Skegness or wherever

It's not a waste of time to write to someone!

There are apps you can use these days for sending postcards. Take a nice snapshot, upload it, enter the addresses of the people you want to send to, and BOOM. The company does all the rest.
You can even do the bulk of it ahead of time. Uploading the addresses and "buying" however many postcards you want to send. Then once you're away, it's "take a photo, write a message" and done.
I've been away with my mum a couple of times, and she likes to use it to send postcards to older relatives. I think it's a bit of a generational thing, and is rather dying a death.

Yes.
It really isn't the PITA you're making it out to be.

You don't want to do it, and that's fine.

Say it must have gotten lost in the post

🤣

I agree with you, but also want to say that my DM used to utterly enrage me by sending me a postcard full of shite from her expensive holidays abroad when I was at home, struggling with small DC.

I used to feel furious at getting a card from Jordan or somewhere amazing, saying, 'Weather here is lovely! Food extremely good and we have been having a very relaxing time. Went to see Petra yesteday and it was incredible. Such a glorious experience!!!'

These were sent from one of her 4 or 5 annual luxury holidays when I was struggling to put food on our table and coping with no help at all as a single Mum.

It demonstrated (again) how utterly blind she was to my life.

This - my grandparents love getting postcards from their great grandchildren. I use moonpig mainly - couple of nice pics of the kids enjoying themselves, short note on what they've been up to and boom, done! Takes 5 minutes 😆

Is it only the one relative you have to send a postcard to? And do they expect one from each of your children (assuming you have more than one)?

I loved finding the postcards I’d sent to my granny over the years, when we were in her house, after she’d gone…
But that was in older times before mobiles & t’Internet.

Yes one relative.

But sourcing 10 of everything is pretty much the same as sourcing 1. It's not the money, it's the work I dislike

Same place as the postcards usually.
This was in Italy.
DH and I share the writing of them.

I missed what Sugardown said. I assume it was unpleasant 🙄

I send postcards but I'd never inflict holiday photos on people.
I put some on Facebook and people can look or not.
Some comment, some don't and some ask for more 🤷

OP, do you send Christmas and birthday cards or is that a massive chore too?

Just tell them no.