If someone sent you a (nicely) handmade Christmas card, would you think…

[FestiveFruitloop]

YABU: that they couldn’t afford to buy ‘real’ cards?
YANBU: that they just liked making Christmas cards?

Assuming the card has clearly been made by an adult and not a child. Context to follow, just curious. (Regular member, not a journo. 😄)

I've had two lovely hand made cards so far, waiting for the one from my SIL they are usually gorgeous Sadly I am not very good at it, I have all the stuff and yes it is expensive to buy all the bits

Purlant didn't say it was an issue or a bad thing, just saying what she thinks.
Why did you get so defensive about her comment?

The only cards I keep are handmade or nice message ones. The effort/expense of a homemade card is normally more than store bought so I don’t think anyone would think it’s because you can’t afford store bought.

Because "they have too much free time on their hands" and along those lines is often used as a negative thing. I just don't understand why.

I love getting home made cards. My DSIL makes her own cards for birthday and Christmas, they are lovely. I make all my own cards and tags, it's a hobby I enjoy along with other paper crafts, I have a very different style to my SIL so we appreciate each others work as I couldn't do what she does.

And yes I do have time on my hands, I'm retired, so I do whatever the hell I like these days, having spent a lot of my life not having time to do the stuff I enjoy (and being told how silly my little hobbies are by my XH).

Oh wow, I'm trending. I don't think that's ever happened before. 😆

A neighbour a few doors down, gives me a beautifully crafted card every year. She enjoys making them. They are a delight to receive, and I've told her how special they are.

I’d think they had too much time on their hands. Bah humbug!

This made me laugh @FestiveFruitloop as I brought a small bag full of pulled crackers home after a dinner this week. They were black card with a gold geometric design and I have fed them though my gift tag puncher this afternoon. All my presents are now neatly tagged in black and gold with the names on the back in gold pen.

My mil makes us handmade cards for birthdays and Christmas etc. I love it. I love that she found a hobby that she enjoys, I love that she shares her crafty side with my girls (who make lots of handmade cards now) and I love that when Im in a pickle and need a card she usually has one available 😂 Ive never heard someone say “too tight to buy cards” but id be giving anyone that did a bit of side eye. Not everyone appreciates how long things take to make by hand or the cost involved.

But she didn't say they had too much time on their hands, she said "a lot" of free time.

I enjoy making cards.

This year it featured photos of my cat at Christmas time in the past because he died this year - it was my final tribute to him.

Lots of friends/family who have received them have already made really appreciative comments

I always feel quite honoured to receive handmade cards.

Not a Christmas card, but we received a handmade Silver Wedding Anniversary card from our neighbour a few weeks ago and I was really touched that someone would go to that effort to do something lovely for us.
I kept it and put it away when we took them down.

Havent RTFT, but Xmas cards are so cheap I'm pretty sure it would be more expensive to make them - not to mention more time consuming. Craft bits cost more than you think. So I would assume it's because they are crafty / think it's more personal.

Depending on materials used, I am not sure handmade Christmas cards are cheaper than bought ones.

Regardless, I would assume the giver was a person who enjoyed handcrafts. I would be very pleased to receive a handmade card and might well keep it beyond the date when others would be recycled.

There are a lot of people who think like that though. My 20 year daughter is mortified that I have made a wreath for the front door (knitted), partly because she thinks it's not sparkly enough, partly because "everyone" has a shop bought one. Loads of threads about how handmade or homemade is second best and how people prefer to buy new.

I would be absolutely delighted with a homemade card. My mum still displays a cross stitched Santa card I made at least 25 years ago.

Round here (rural Essex) there are many wreath-making workshops. They all look amazing. Uptake seems to be a different demographic that 20 year olds though.

I love getting beautiful handmade cards from crafty friends. I appreciate the time and skill that has gone into making them and keep them long after Christmas. Craft stuff doesn't come cheap!

I bet your cards are lovely,OP. Only give them to people who will genuinely appreciate them.

I've come to the conclusion some people are very badly informed, lack imagination and simply don't have enquiring minds. These people include those who believe that buying something ready-made is always going to be better than making it yourself.

This has to be partly be the power of marketing and branding. They want to show that they can afford brands that others recognise and want to be associated with. This matters more to them than whether the item they're buying is any good and whether it represents value for money.

Then there are the people with health anxiety who have convinced themselves that buying food and drink made in a factory is always going to be safer than home-made. What they don't always grasp is that (a) it isn't and (b) what they really want is the reassurance that the thing will always be the same and therefore predictable and safe, whereas those of us who like home-made things positively relish that they're not all the same.

And finally there are those who can't do simple arithmetic. They know nothing about making cakes, chutney, jewellery etc but somehow think that if an amateur or semi-professional sells what they make they should charge peanuts because they don't stop to think about the cost of the raw materials or the electricity or to put a value on the maker's time. At bottom, though, these cheapskates also don't think that home-made can be worth anything.

Can we have a picture of a card you make? I am curious! If i have to do it i would probably draw santa and a christmas tree and thats it🫣 (and i am not good at drawing!)

Thank-you! I’d no idea there was such a thing as a gift tag punch. I’ve ordered myself one as I’ve pretty cards to use but they look slightly amateur cut freehand

I’d be delighted by a handmade card and with postage now being so expensive I’m thinking I might take the time to make cards next year as paying so much to post a mass produced card seems a bit unbalanced in effort

Always love receiving handmade cards. One incredible friend sends me a cross stiched card, all individual festive designs, each year. I frame them and they are part of my Christmas decorations as I love them and appreciate the effort & kind thought thats gone into each one. Would never occur to me to think someone was being 'cheap'.

I would love it! It shows they have taken time and care. Anyone and everyone can (usually) buy a packet of cards but not many would take the trouble to make one.